In what light do you photograph?

[John McCallum]

When I used to do a lot of outdoor portraits, I tried to always do them at magic hour. (1/2 hour before sunset)

The light is incredible and the difference between a highlight and shadow was usually 3:1 or 5:1.

If that wasn't possible I tried to manipulate the light with scrims for subtractive lighting techniques, or use reflectors.

For scenics I always shoot early morning or late in the day.

Michael

I was taught :

1:2 Children
1:3 Women
1:4 Men
1:5 Politicians

For landscapes I like the low light, either winter or the golden hours, ideally very diffused. But sometimes have to make the best of what is presented.

This morning it was big surf, contra jour. Yesterday nice diffused side modelling of some rugged coastline in the rain.

 

[salamandrine]

though my favourite light is at sunsent, i shoot at whatever light i have available when the will to shoot something comes. I don't have have much time of my own to be able to choose at what time i'm gonna shoot something i'm thinking about, so i grab what i can get.
even midnight

 

[Charles Webb]

If light came packaged in cans, regardless of the brand I would try to use it!

Charlie....................................

 

[Baxter Bradford]

Again hard to categorise and vote. Different light breeds different image types and that is the part I love, being adaptive to the conditions.

Mostly I'm a complete tart. Almost anything will do. But I do prefer a dawn strike when I can manage one.

 

[siorai]

Since I'm always shooting outdoors I have no real control over the direction of the light as such. I do tend to prefer overcast days as opposed to bright sun because I feel that direct sunlight is just too harsh 99.9% of the time.

 

[MattKing]

I like a variety of different types of light, but this light in this shot was especially nice:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[rfshootist]

I am interested in ascertaining in what light conditions you normally photograph. I found a while back that I was consistantly the same.

I could not pick one from the list above, because for me it's more about the sort of light than it is about its direction.
So daytime and season plays a role. What I do not really like is bright sunlight at high noon, that's worst case for me. Travelling foreign countries you can't avoid it tho. For B&W i like the diffuse light under a bright but covered sky best. Gives a good 3d impression and fine details, rich greys. C41B&W can produce amazing results with this light.

bertram