Natural light is never the same for long. Its colour, direction, and softness change through the day, and the same scene can look ordinary at noon and striking an hour before sunset. Learning to read these stages is one of the most useful habits in everyday photography.
Direction of light
Three broad directions describe most situations:
- Front light falls from behind the photographer. It is even and easy but flattens texture.
- Side light rakes across a subject and reveals texture and form through shadow.
- Back light comes from behind the subject, producing rim highlights and silhouettes.
Moving a few steps to change the angle of light often does more for a photograph than any camera setting.
Stages of daylight
Blue hour and dawn
Before sunrise and after sunset the sky carries a cool, even blue light. Contrast is low and colours are muted, which suits calm cityscapes and water.
Golden hour
Shortly after sunrise and before sunset, sunlight travels through more atmosphere, turning warm and soft. Shadows lengthen and contrast eases. This is the most forgiving light for landscapes and portraits alike, which is why it is so widely favoured.
The length of golden hour depends on latitude and season. In Canadian cities the soft evening window stretches noticeably longer in June than in December, and far northern locations can hold low-angled light for hours near midsummer. Check a sunrise and sunset time for your own location and date rather than relying on a fixed figure.
Midday
With the sun high overhead, light is hard and shadows fall straight down. It is the least flattering light for faces but works for graphic, high-contrast subjects and for shade, where the light becomes soft and neutral.
Overcast
A cloudy sky is a giant diffuser. The light is soft, shadows are gentle, and colours stay saturated. Overcast days, common across much of Canada, are well suited to portraits, forests, and close detail.
Colour temperature
Daylight shifts from warm at the edges of the day to cooler under cloud and in shade. White balance settings let you keep colours neutral, or you can leave some warmth in an evening frame on purpose. The choice is part of the photograph, not only a correction.
For background on the warm light near sunrise and sunset, the Wikipedia entry on the golden hour and the entry on daylight give a clear overview.