There are many elements that come into play in the creation of a photograph, but above all else is Light.
From the peaceful existence of a misty morning, to the harsh drama created by contrasting shadows and hi-lights, every image has its own personality and every moment has endless possibilities for its capture.
With all that we feel the need to address, it can often be this most important element that is overlooked, or discounted in favor of more pressing, technical considerations.
When was the last time you reeeaaallly looked at light?
Among other things, Light has color, texture, direction, intensity, ambience and temperature - these qualities can seem overwhelming all at once to consider, especially in the context of digital file menus and rapidly changing subject conditions.
In reality they are all quite simple, and likely you already know them well and how to deal with them digitally.
Let's start with the quality that typically causes the most concern - Color.
Ask yourself, “What is the dominant source of light in this image, or what light source is going to most influence the color of my image?" In film days, you would consider daylight, tungsten, fluorescent or strobe and then initially select your film / filtration accordingly. In digital, you have the same considerations.
Look at your subject, and then take a moment longer to consider the color of the dominant light source. Fluorescent and Tungsten are pretty straightforward, and if you are using a strobe as your main source, then that also answers the question. If in Daylight - Is it warm? Cool? If cool, is it green or more bluish? You already know how to answer those questions; you just may not realize it.
Keep in mind that doing a white balance reading will not correct mixed light situations, it will just select a single value that is an averaging of the light sources it "sees" and may or may not be pleasing or complementary to the subject in the final image. Similarly, selecting Raw solely for "safety", only defers the issue and requires you to still answer the question sometime later - the same answer that you already know now!
Now lets' think about Intensity... Is the light harsh with strong highlights or is it almost invisible in how it shapes your subject? Film offered a range of contrast choices that we would select to match our subject or personal preferences, and Digital provides the same opportunity within the Tone Control as a menu option. Leaving it on Low all the time can be a good choice, ensuring a full range of detail without problematic "blown out" areas, while having it set higher will "punch up" the look of your initial capture. Whichever you select will depend on your personal preferences for how you like to handle your workflow or address the timelines of the project.
Now that those two areas are considered, our next consideration is Exposure. This is no different than film, as we need to capture the light / dark areas within our viewfinder with a single exposure that balances the need for detail throughout the image. This is a metering consideration, and for the most success, remember this formula:
m / m' = IE
Again, this is something most of us already do, and how it translates is as follows: Mind over Meter = Improved Exposure. A small light area surrounded by darker areas will fool our meter and requires us to override the meter by decreasing exposure to retain detail in the highlights. The inverse is also true. Digitally this, in combination with our Tone Control, allows us to eliminate blown out highlight areas, or minimize noise in our shadows. Using the Raw format might aid in the solution later, but will not eliminate the problem at time of capture.
So now that you have the basics addressed, you are free to look at the more intriguing aspects of the light within your frame... multiple sources, direction, color variations, shape, rendering and many other qualities are all the beautiful subtleties that give each image its unique place in time. You don't need to feel overwhelmed by digital menus and tech talks on how to negotiate the landmines of digital capture... just follow your initial instincts, and open up your world again to the endless opportunities as you - See the Light!
