What’s available? How to use light at the scene for best photos

Clifford Oto, The Record
·3 min read

Available light photography excludes the use of flash for using whatever light exists at the scene. While you’re limited with what kind of light is available, you don’t always have to be at its mercy.

Miguel Ventura cooks in the Tequileros Taqueria truck at the 11th annual Taco Truck Cook Off held at Hale Park in Lodi on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. Ventura is illuminated by a window in the food truck.
Miguel Ventura cooks in the Tequileros Taqueria truck at the 11th annual Taco Truck Cook Off held at Hale Park in Lodi on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. Ventura is illuminated by a window in the food truck.

When shooting portraits indoors, artificial light can be downright ugly. Ceiling lights cast deep, unwanted and unattractive shadows on people’s faces. Some of the light can bounce off of walls and other surfaces but not enough to compensate for the harshness of the overhead light sources.

If you can, look for window light which tends to be warm, diffused and soft. It’s very flattering for portraits and quite often it’s the type of light that studio photographers try to emulate. If there aren’t any windows convenient or available, try looking for a table lamp, which, can provide some directional side lighting and the shade on the lamp can diffuse the light. If all you have is overhead lighting don’t pose your subject directly under the light. If you can, try to put them on the outer edge of where the light is coming down to help mitigate the shadows.

Sandhill cranes fly in for the night to a field at the Phil and Marilyn Isenberg Sandhill Crane Reserve in Woodbridge. The cranes are lit by the setting sun, Oct. 12, 2022.
Sandhill cranes fly in for the night to a field at the Phil and Marilyn Isenberg Sandhill Crane Reserve in Woodbridge. The cranes are lit by the setting sun, Oct. 12, 2022.

Time of day is the best option when shooting photos outdoors. Late afternoon, early evening or early morning are the best times. The light is warm and inviting and low in the sky, causing it to come in at a pleasing angle. However, it’s not always possible to shoot at those times. If you have to shoot midday when the sunlight is harshest, there a couple of things that you can do to help ameliorate the problem.

An egg is illuminated by window light on a kitchen counter, May 5, 2015.
An egg is illuminated by window light on a kitchen counter, May 5, 2015.

Overhead sunlight is even worse than indoor light. The shadows are darker and deeper. If you have an assistant, use what’s known as a “bounce card” or reflector. While you can buy one, all you need is something that’s light in color to help reflect sunlight into the shadows. Just have your helper stand off to one side just out of range of the camera and hold up the reflector. You can see it work. It can be as small as as a piece of paper or cardboard.

Volunteers Roseanna Sullivan, left, Susie Estremera and Bill Quinton urge customers to come to their window to buy deep fried asparagus in Asparagus Alley at the annual Asparagus Festival in downtown Stockton. They trio is under open shade of the tent, April 27, 2012.
Volunteers Roseanna Sullivan, left, Susie Estremera and Bill Quinton urge customers to come to their window to buy deep fried asparagus in Asparagus Alley at the annual Asparagus Festival in downtown Stockton. They trio is under open shade of the tent, April 27, 2012.

If that’s not available, find some open shade. Look for the shade of something like a building or tree. The lighting there is usually nice and even, if a bit flat at times. You can experiment by placing your subject deep into the shadow or at its edge for different lighting effects. If none of the above is available, then turn your subject around and shoot their shadow side. Expose for those shadows and it will give you fairly even lighting on your subject.

Farmworkers pick pumpkins in a Von Groningen and Sons Farm's field on Highway 4 and Kaiser Road east to Stockton. The farmworkers are photographed from their shady side, Oct. 11, 2019.
Farmworkers pick pumpkins in a Von Groningen and Sons Farm's field on Highway 4 and Kaiser Road east to Stockton. The farmworkers are photographed from their shady side, Oct. 11, 2019.

Available light photography is what most of us do most of the time. Sometimes the light is spot on and you don’t have to do anything except press the shutter button. Other times it’s less than perfect. It’s those times when it’s good to know what you can do to help find the best options.

Record photographer Clifford Oto has photographed Stockton and San Joaquin County for more than 37 years. He can be reached at coto@recordnet.com or on Instagram @Recordnet. Follow his blog at recordnet.com/otoblog. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: What’s available: How to use ambient light in photography