Pointing your shadow.

Photography is all about controlling light. Although you can't control the sun, you can control your position relative to it and the time you choose to photograph something illuminated by it. These are two key elements in photography; when and where.

You don't always have the luxury of controlling the when and where of things, but you can certainly try. I find the best time to do my outdoor photography is in the morning when the sun's angle to the ground is relatively low. In the summer time, this means getting up early because the sun will be producing harsh lighting by mid-morning. In the winter, especially around the winter solstice, just about any time will do (true in Canada, not so much as you go further south).

Whether shooting landscapes or wildlife, I like to know where the sun is relative to my subject. I find that I get the best wildlife photos when the sun is low and directly behind me. The angle of the sun has to do with the season, time of day, and latitude. Getting the sun behind me means moving into a position that puts me directly between my quarry and the sun. The best way to determine that, I have found, is simply just to point my shadow.

Pointing your shadow is as simple as it sounds. When the sun is low to the horizon, shadows are long. If the sun is at your back you can move either clockwise or counter-clockwise relative to the subject. As you move your shadow will follow suit and will eventually be pointing directly at what you want to capture. Shadows will be diminished to their absolute minimum and you will have the best light for getting your shot.

There is an enormous difference in the way I approach photographing wildlife versus scenery. I find landscapes are accentuated by long shadows while wildlife tends to be diminished by them. The wonderful thing about photography is that there tend to be no absolutes, especially when it comes to composition. Pointing your shadow and early morning shooting are suggestions that often bear fruit, as does the rule of thirds. Wildlife doesn't always respect your ambitions though, and sometimes you get the shot you can rather than the shot you want.

Keep shooting, and have fun doing it.

Thanks for reading.     Ericspix     Eric Svendsen