Light and Dark

One of the greatest challenges (and joys) of photography is using light to create the image that you want to capture.  Usually, you would think that you would use light to illuminate the main subject that you are photographing.  There are times, however, when you want to keep your subject in the dark for a dramatic silhouette or shadow shot.

Now, another photographer may have looked at this view and chosen to keep the vine of hearts in the light, resulting in a significantly different image.  In fact, I came back to this very scene the next night and took an entirely different photo.  That's the beauty of photography.  There's no right or wrong way to see things.  You can be as purposeful or as aimless as you want.  You can choose light or you can choose dark.  Thank goodness for that because otherwise, I'd get really bored.

How about you?  Do you have an image to share in which you chose dark over light or vice versa?  Or maybe an image you captured one way on a certain day and a totally different way on another day.

Comments

[Kirsten]

I'm currently trying to figure out the whole lighting thing...and having a blast!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/somethingcheeky/2868926955/

[Naomi]

So true, what a great post (and image).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/2655461796/

[Jeana]

Just posted some dark(er) photos than usual on my last blog post - I was feeling a bit moody...

http://unbecominglily.blogspot.com/2008/09/broody-and-mooding.html

also these 2 from a couple weeks ago:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanamarie31/2838255618/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanamarie31/2798238612/

still feel as though I'm getting my head around the light and dark thing though. Thanks for this post - it is really encouraging!

[Julie Alvarez]

I chose to measure the light on the unsunny part of the picture here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2829264456/

[Marcie]

Instead of highlighting the boaters..I chose to see it differently:

http://bravo.unisonplatform.com/~marciesc/index.php?showimage=527

[cloudscome]

This summer I have been fascinated with how the late afternoon sun comes in my dining room windows. I took this shot of our basil and balloon centerpiece the other day. I love how the sun fires up the greenery and bounces off the balloon while leaving the rest of the room in the dark.

http://sandycovetrail.blogspot.com/2008/09/whatever-is-lovely.html

And here is one from August when the sun caught the curtain with the room in shadow: http://sandycovetrail.blogspot.com/2008/08/haiku.html

Now I'm off to see what others have linked...

[patricia]

i love the heart shape of the leaves :) here's my share:
sunsets will always be one of my favorite things in this world, next to the beach =)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patreesya/2405779092/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patreesya/2405778498/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patreesya/2404947761/

[camerashymomma]

oh i love that photo! great post today!

there's a window in my house now, how i have moved my furniture, where the morning light is very dramatic while we eat breakfast. i could take a photo a day here, and with mere inches it all changes from dark to light. here's one of my favorites where my son's face is illuminated and yet everything around him seems black.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/2830938998/

[abbey]

I wish I could learn more and get better at this technique!!!
Here is my favorite that I have worked up!!!
:)
http://www.photoblog.com/abbeyh13/2008/06/22/beach-day-7-last-day-boo.html

[shelli]

I love your photo.

Some of my favorites in which the "dark" is part of the subject:

http://web.mac.com/pabis/Mama_of_Letters/Blog/Entries/2008/7/23_Shadows.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spabis/2786852825/in/photostream/

[jody]

This came out magical to me...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/2866141570/

[spread your wings]

here is one i did in school last year as an assignment (with film). You can see a series of them here. Thanks for the post. I am always interested to learn from you all.

http://flickr.com/photos/shutterxdown/2329844540/in/set-72157601955733630/

[mel]

Delicate in the twilight...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21106607@N05/2675384150/in/set-72157603998803417/

[m. heart]

oh i love those heart-shaped leaves in the window!
here are a few examples i posted today...
http://secretnotebookswildpages.blogspot.com/2008/09/light-and-dark.html

[Blazey]

Trying to balance the light and dark were key elements to this picture.
http://flickr.com/photos/blazeyphotography/2875564473/

[jag]

Great shot! I caught this ray of sunshine as it was coming through my front window. I had the blind closed to help keep the house cool...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jagspace/2320396212/in/set-72157606539194711/

Happy International Peace Day everyone!
xox

[jfrancis]

Light and Dark
have a joint
checking account.

[Harmony]

I usually always choose bright, illuminated photos, but in this on I went with the dark. It was wonderful to be able to look through other people's photos too!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22491542@N02/2873039363/

[ELK]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammymom/2832659131

I am not sure ...but I like the light and dark both?

[Cheryl Doran-Girard]

I love the moments between dawn and day, twilight and night because of the sometimes subtle, sometimes dramatic changes in light

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheryldoran-girard/2865935755/

Great topic...thanks

[jennifer]

So so true:)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2181/1645617259_c58fb1c656.jpg

[Elizabeth]

Please scroll down to the bottom of the last post, (Seeing The Unexpected)
to see my photo of the Ibex in silhouette.

http://www.giftsofthejourney.com/Elizabeth_Harper-Gifts_of_the_Journey/Blog/Entries/2008/9/21_Seeing_The_Unexpected.html


It was a quick snap taken from my seat at a table in France through the window without getting up.

Pure luck and opportunity!

www.giftsofthejourney.com

[bridge]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2220/2528955956_72cc5585ef_b.jpg

great post!

[brandi]

I'm usually one that likes to use the light...but every once in awhile, I like staying in the shadows...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandelionseeds/2782895132/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandelionseeds/2606600135/

[lora]

I took a road trip with a good friend of mine to work on some of the new things we've learned from our Me Ra Koh DVD set. We specifically worked on silhouettes. =)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28987938@N00/2877940230/in/set-72157607423355155/

[maile]

this shot takes my breath away. It reminds me of a scene from a book with personalities and plots. It looks like a story waiting to be read.

[Wayfaring Wanderer]

I was able to camp near a waterfall on a recent hike......
And captured the scene with morning as well as late afternoon light.....it makes such a difference in the final images.

http://wayfaring-wanderer.blogspot.com/2008/09/hunt-fish-falls.html

[Jakki]

I love the mixture when I photograph.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/valeenwashington/2879272759/

[simply]

I love shadows...and changes in light.(beautiful pics today)

http://bp3.blogger.com/_A1Xbjk4uEks/SFfamEYKuYI/AAAAAAAAD8Q/BSIvzSoZgqg/s1600-h/kitchen+window4.jpg

http://bp0.blogger.com/_A1Xbjk4uEks/RtVSgr7XQYI/AAAAAAAAASo/q8O2Q6UI0Vw/s1600-h/football.jpg

~simply~

[Becki Hansen (a.k.a. Sockrma18)]

http://outoftheashesphotography.blogspot.com/2008/09/kelsi-j-update.html

The "light and dark" photo I like is about half way down my post where she is standing in the covered bridge. This happened totally by accident. I had her too far back and this was the result. I liked it so we went with it....so cool how things happen without even really meaning too and as a result I learned something!!! :)

~ Becki

[Sebrina]

Lovely picture. I have this one from last week http://www.flickr.com/photos/sunmamma/2868343782/

[claudia]

http://flickr.com/photos/laurohunt/2881460720/
http://flickr.com/photos/laurohunt/2880623051/in/photostream/
Two shots I took while being mindful of light & dark. Early morning low sun angle certainly helped.