So I’m going to be honest. I wrote this blog almost a week ago, and it was GOOD. Like really good. Then I never saved it (though it was still there, it wasn’t saved) so when my computer restarted…well lets say I was not happy this morning when I went to post my super great blog I thoughtfully wrote!
So…here we go. I’m going to attempt to put my words to paper, erm, internet; again!
Learning to Play with Light in Florida
Last fall, we moved from South Dakota, to the central eastern coast of Florida. This area is quite aptly called, The Treasure Coast; and it IS a treasure. Filled with a beautiful inlet/waterway/river right on the coast of the land, and a barrier island called Hutchinson Island, with oceanic beaches and beautiful dunes of beach grass and foliage.
Previously in the midwest, my favorite time of day to photograph families and seniors was hands down sunset. Sunset in the midwest means I got to shoot into the sun, so the warm light wrapped around my clients. This gave a soft look, due to the sun lowering at the horizon, creating a natural soft box; and a look of warmth that fit my style of photojournalistic style photography.
This magical time of the day is called the “Golden Hour” and most professional photographers prefer it over any other time of day. As I described above the Golden Hour allows for some bright yet soft light, and wraps your clients in warm “golden” light. Its PERFECT!
To achieve this look, place my clients with the sun behind them. This might sound counter intuitive to most people, because of course if you are having trouble with something being too dark, the first thing you do is point the light AT them, not behind them.
This is where my challenge began once we moved, and a lot of people started requesting beach photos. You see, because we are on the east coast of Florida, obviously the sun sets in the west; meaning for me to take Golden Hour photos of my clients on the beach, the sun would be in a direction I was not accustomed to.
This gave me some new challenges, but I’m very much someone who believes a challenge is really just an opportunity to try something new! I’ve had so much fun playing with the light of the beach, the evening light as front light, side light, and sometimes even back light using the dunes of the beach. Below is my most recent family beach shoot, I would love for you to check it out!
