ADVENTURE PHOTOGRAPHY

with Cathy & Gordon ILLG

PHOTO TIPS

 

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT

Scenic photographers seem to spend most of their time chasing the light--trying to get to that scenic overlook with the sun low in the sky. And, with the exception of some sunrise and sunset silhouettes, they almost always want the sun at their back. We just returned from Utah’s Canyon Country, and we can testify that the low angle of the sun definitely brings out the colors in your subject, as well as giving it some definition and texture because every tiny ridge casts a long shadow. However, when that low light is turning the scene before you the color of molten metal, don’t forget to turn around and look behind you. 
Some of our favorite images have been taken by shooting into the sun. Even in this part of the country, where the red rock glows under the first and last rays of the sun, some of our favorite photos have been taken by turning our back on the beautiful sunlit scene, and trying to find something a little more unusual. 

Let’s face it. Almost any shot you can come up with in the grand scenic areas of North America has been done many times before. That’s the reason most of us want to visit those places in the first place--to duplicate or at least try to capture an image similar to the ones that made the place famous. If you want to make your photos look different, try shooting into the sun.
Of course, the big reason backlighting makes your images look more unusual, the reason fewer photographers point their cameras into the sun, is that it is more difficult to capture a great backlit image, mostly because there are more technical difficulties involved. However, never be afraid to make mistakes and experiment. You also have to realize that there are some places that just don’t look good backlit, although most of the time you never know until you try.  

When you attempt this kind of photo, keep in mind that unless you’re shooting where there is lots of humidity, you are going to have a problem with lens flare. In the dry areas of the West, from the moment it rises to the moment it sets, the sun is too bright to point directly at it without getting a huge flare. Try blocking the sun, or at least most of it, with part of the scene--a tree branch, part of an arch, a flower, a person--anything to cut down on the intensity of the light.
One of our favorite things to do in these situations is create sun stars. Just leave a tiny portion of the sun still visible and close your aperture down to at least f16. Depending on the scene we’re trying to expose, we usually overexpose it anywhere from +1/3 to +1 full stop. It may take some practice to get the right amount of sun to make a nice star and not get a lens flare. We’ve been doing it for years, and we still get lots of lens flares. 

Also, be sure to try this technique with fall color (with or without the sun star) the next time you get the chance. Autumn leaves look much more brilliant backlit than they do frontlit.
By all means, don’t overlook those stereotypic, clichéd frontlit images. We always try to include them when we’re shooting a famous location, but then we try to do something different. And that often means shooting into the sun. So when you’re out there celebrating the incredible beauty of this planet with your camera, don’t be afraid to squint a little.