The softness or harshness of light – also known as contrast – has a powerful effect on the look of a landscape photograph, says Tony Bridge.
You need to learn to recognise whether the scene you are photographing has low, medium, or high contrast. In a low contrast situation, such as on a dull day or an early-morning mist scene, the exposure range will typically be 1-2 stops. High-contrast scenes, such as the middle of the day in the desert, will often have a brightness range of 7-10 stops (sometimes more).
So how do you recognise which is which? A simple technique is to look at the shadows. Low contrast lighting produces very little shadow. What shadows there are, will typically have very soft, indistinct edges.
High contrast scenes, on the other hand, usually have deep shadows with very sharp edges. Medium contrast scenes have strong shadows, but with visible detail and slightly softened edges.
Teach yourself to be able to categorise these. You can practice this all the time and you don't need a camera to do it.
Tony Bridge is a New Zealand-based professional photographer. See more of his images at www.thistonybridge.com
Low contrast lighting produces few if any shadows and is ideal for landscape photography. In this image of a
whitebait net at Okuru Lagoon in South Westland, New Zealand, there is a strong reflection, but barely any
shadows. (Photo by Tony Bridge.)