“A Celebration of Outdoor Photography”
Light is All to a Photographer, permeating life in all manner of aspects and guises. Light is a Gentle Lover, filling each minute with poignant emotion. However, Light can also be a Fickle Mistress, alluring but capricious and ultimately stealing away a moment dreamt of and hoped for with her changeable ways. Light is the Ultimate Companion, always present in all thoughts, wishes and plans, but Light is ultimately a Harsh Taskmaster, demanding so very much and constantly asking for more, setting the bar higher each and every time the shutter clicks. In the studio, a photographer has the opportunity to bend Light to his will and make Light the servant of his designs, creating imagery that shows a level of excellence that is essential to those who wish to be viewed as “professional”. But it is outside the walls of the studio, in Nature where power is in the hands of The Shaper of Worlds, when a photographer surrenders control and is at the mercy of the elements. That is where true skill, an understanding of the forces arrayed against him and resources which can be called upon that are at his disposal, that is where a professional photographer shows a Zen Mastery of his art, philosophy and an acceptance of the profundity of The Wild. That is where love and respect merge in the consciousness of the artist with all that should constantly be learned and transformed in the soul of those who wish to walk the Path of Beauty. For them, Light is at the Core of Existence.
Attaining a level of proficiency in manipulating and utilizing Outdoor Light isn’t terribly difficult. I have spent a career preaching that acceptable outdoor imagery can be achieved if you know some of the basics. From there, a steady climb up the ladder of skill can lead to some fine results. But the difference between the dilettante and the artist can be found in how the latter seeks to challenge himself, find new ways of expressing that inner voice and making Light a ready and willing partner in the exchange. And one of the greatest places to experience that crucible of testing and proving is the environment of New England. Because our Seasons are so short, shift so quickly and the nature and quality of Light is also changing so rapidly, no two days are ever truly the same when it comes to the angle and intensity of Light. Add to that the legendary unpredictability of New England’s weather, with constantly varying levels of humidity, cloud cover and precipitation, and the nature of Light is continuously in flux. New England’s foliage is also in an unending state of transformation, causing backgrounds and their interaction with Light to always be a factor worthy of consideration.
You can read more of this article in our June 2015 issue of ModelsMania
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