Five Natural Light Techniques for Stronger Images

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In this video, I'm sharing five different techniques for working with natural light that will help you create better landscape and environmental photographs.
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[@nickward2922]

Personally I think this is your best and most informative video to date. It’s really interesting how the direction and quality of the light either tie together images in a set or make them so different they could have been shot by another photographer.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thanks, Nick. Really glad you enjoyed this one.

[@nickmoys22]

Pleased to hear you make the point that you can shoot perfectly well in the middle of the day. Photographing mainly B&W in the UK, my favourite conditions are bright but cloudy, when the sky becomes a giant soft box.

[@Barfslayer]

When I first started out in film photography I never realized how important lighting was. People often tend to overlook lighting for other elements like composition, gear, etc.. but I think lighting can definitely make or break a photo in some circumstances. Excellent video, I loved hearing what you had to share!

[@KyleMcDougall]

It’s one of, if not the most important thing, IMO.

[@joeyramirez344]

Holy cow, absolutely going to use the “shooting into shadows”. I feel like I’ve been doing that and liking it but now I know why and I can dial in what I like rn. Thank you so much, informative and fun as always.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, Joey.

[@iganas88]

I always struggled with natural light and shadows, at least with having consistently good photos. Now after watching your video I can already feel leveling up my photo game :) This is probably one of top5 best photography videos on KZbin! Thanks a lot Kyle!

[@KyleMcDougall]

That's awesome! Really happy to hear that you found some value in this vid. Thanks for watching!

[@BUCKSHOTSTV]

You made me realize that when I make my repeated travels to west Texas, the images that I take mid day have always been my favorite images. I never quite understood why, but you said the color pallet of the landscape is the main reason for that. You made a light bulb go off in my head!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Glad you connected with this one!

[@jeremyrowlettmedia]

A lot of these technics I use sometimes without even consciously thinking of it. But after hearing you break it down into detail I realize that it makes up for a key characteristic in my style of shooting. I usually gravitate towards certain angles depending on where the shadows are.

[@NeilBruder]

Very illuminating! :) I really enjoyed this video and appreciate the way you talk through these processes without being prescriptive. I think it makes it very easy for someone, regardless of their style, to take these ideas and incorporate them into their work.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thank you, Neil! Glad you found this one helpful.

[@coltonberry9935]

Always glad to hear photographers I like develop this opinion, which is the correct opinion. As an Arizona native and someone who shoots a lot of similar subjects, this "harsh" bright lighting is especially perfect for such environments.

[@joelp2419]

Thank you to articulate so clearly what I generally like when taking pictures, that is playing with light and shadows. But I often follow my instinct rather than analyze the scene the way you do, and that makes a huge difference ! I'll try to follow your points going forward. Thanks again !

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers Joel. Following your instinct is important as well. Just all about a balance of the two.

[@SteffenMiethke]

I'm in college for photography. I mostly do cars and commercial stuff, but my teachers always say "You gotta learn to see light" and I think you're doing a great job with embodying this statement.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thank you! 🙏

[@vincentvincent5979]

I agree wholeheartedly with the first point, especially as people seem to be averse to overcast/grey days or darker conditions - when in fact they have so much potential for creating a dramatic or sinister/subversive mood and atmosphere that can really shape how we view the subject. I really enjoy using the dark to my advantage to create deep or contrasty shadows, and black and white films are brilliant for this. This is a lesson that we can learn from so many directors of classic film, in particular expressionist or pre-code films.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Absolutely. There's so much potential that reveals itself when you start to think about mood and style. And films are definitely a great source of inspiration.

[@PitNeex]

This is one of the best videos of a photographer explaining the creative decisions behind a photo! It is very useful because the examples help understand every concept! 👏👏👏

[@richardrizzo_photography]

Excellent video Kyle thank you. Over the past several months I have been working on the natural lighting of my photography while shooting in different lighting conditions, what got me really pushing myself is when I watched a video on cinematic lighting techniques and applied it to my photography, some that you have mentioned here especially the part of shooting into the shadows of a subject, that alone improved my photography ten fold.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, Rich. Yeah, sometimes the smallest details can make a big difference!

[@lars69lp]

These where the best 27 minutes i've spend on KZbin for a long, long time - thank you! I will watch it a second, third and maybe more times 🙂🙏

[@vincentvincent5979]

Top tip for practicing composition with dynamic/directional shadows (point two): shooting in black and white allows you to focus more of your attention on contrasts in the scene, as it isolates highlights and shadows as well as builds textures based on them - essentially it allows you to train your eye to spot these details and pay attention to lighting as you're not having to put as much attention into colour composition. Training this has made colour photography a lot easier for me too, and as someone who shoots mostly in black and white it's a skill I developed over time.

[@KyleMcDougall]

For sure. Working in B&W can be a very useful way to train your eye, as you mentioned.

[@taehanyoun8126]

This definitely is the most amazing video I've ever seen.

[@skittou]

Thank you so much for this very interesting and well crafted video. This is just precious!

[@theatyhannington]

Such a fantastic video. Thank you so much for making and sharing it.

[@davideingrosso5702]

As always, extremely useful and inspiring. Thank you Kyle for being a true gentleman who gives great photography tips!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, Davide. Thanks for watching!

[@carbonejack]

This video and your composition video taken together are a master class. Very helpful. Makes me look at some of my previous images in a different way.

[@KyleMcDougall]

I appreciate that Jack! Glad you found these helpful.

[@wildlinesau]

Fantastic demonstration and approach to light, something I know I should pay more attention to myself

[@fabrypil121]

This video is pure magic! A lot of learning points and full of great things! Thank you once again..

[@almostgreen9498]

Truly a masterclass! You’re so generous to provide this for free. Next time I watch, I’ll be making notes to take on location

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers. Glad you found it helpful.

[@almostgreen9498]

@@KyleMcDougall You make an important explanatory point with your short aside about short side lighting. Glad I kept thinking about it.

[@SoFloCichlids]

Just wanted to thank you for being such a huge inspiration in my journey thorough photography!

[@KyleMcDougall]

I appreciate that, Nick. Thank you.

[@ReimannPembroke]

This is such a good and informational video! I love that image at 11:58 the way the light is hitting the faces of those buildings behind the car almost looks like a bar graph 📈

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thanks, Reimann!

[@NunoAlmeidaPhotography]

Loved this one, Kyle! I'll about using natural light and shadow play, so it's great to see another artist's perspective on these subjects as well.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@kevinmorgan7091]

A really interesting and informative video. I always shoot between 8am and about 7pm in the summer; not only because I like my sleep, but also because the variation in light and shadows between those hours is amazing; especially for architecture or urban pictures. I'll certainly take a lot more time to lookout for some of the examples you gave in your pictures the next time I'm out and about.

[@christianjohnstevens6176]

Thanks, Kyle! I always couldn't put my finger on why some images have depth to them, but now I know!

[@NickSmithPhoto]

It was interesting seeing those old early landscape images, from where your photographic journey started and where it's taken you now, in terms of photographic style and approach to the world in how your mind's eye sees things.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thanks, Nick. Bit of hesitation throwing those in as it feels like so long ago and my work really changed!

[@andygmiers]

Awesome video, thank you. Has helped solidify a lot of my own thoughts about the use of light and shadow. Thank you!

[@LeeChandler]

Great video, your love of image creation shines through. Living in a urban landscape you can get numb to image potential that is around you. This video reminds me that you need to stop and consider the world around and capture the light and tell your story.

[@KyleMcDougall]

I really appreciate that, Lee. Thanks!

[@nininin99999hih]

This is incredibly helpful. Thanks a lot! I especially liked showing the middle grey version of the photo at 15:42 to show what your eye could expect to see when you are actually there.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, Nick. Glad you found it helpful!

[@johngang8937]

Would love to hear you talk about the experience and thrill of the actually shoot on film. My favorite feeling is seeing an amazing composition and scoping out a place to park because the light, the clouds, etc. are all working together at the right moment to catch your eye. Then the experience of setting up, finding your composition, pressing that shutter button, and hearing the sound of a giant mirror slap the top of the camera. I live for these things!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, John. I do post some VLOG style videos every now and then. Planning to make more of that in the future.

[@davidscullbonz]

My flash units are super glued to a dark corner of my camera bag. “Available darkness” is my mantra.

[@andrewn7329]

I finally found someone who understands photography.

[@johnstarke7319]

Really good work here. So helpful. Thanks for the work put into this one.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thanks, John. Glad you enjoyed!

[@jonstallingsphotography]

Thank you for giving so much info on natural light. You really went deep.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thanks, Jon. Glad you enjoyed.

[@piergiacomomacri492]

Thank you...Really interesting... love the composition and light... beautiful images...

[@chrisjmiller6]

Enjoyable video that has me thinking about how I see subjects in mid-day light. Thanks!

[@Thrice_Greatest]

Great video Kyle. Thank you!

[@sarahdippity]

Kyle your editing is so beautiful and smooth. Always.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thank you, Sarah!

[@norakonieczny7480]

This just opened up a world of opportunity for me. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Glad it was helpful!

[@frame-lines]

Another great video, man. Really useful info.

[@jasonblake5576]

Awesome, thanks!!

[@stevetaylor3706]

These are my favorite videos of yours Kyle. Way prefer this to film stock or camera reviews. Great job, keep em coming.

[@emanuelsimioana6271]

Agree

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thanks, Steve. Always nice to know these resonate with people. I enjoy making them.

[@thomasz1543]

I disagree! I like both types of videos!

[@andersonsantana7358]

Great video man! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. I like this longer format videos because your comments are quite interesting. Thanks!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Glad you enjoyed this one!

[@talalhrout6823]

Enlightening video!!! This one of the best photography videos I had ever watched. Thank you so much for the simple and thorough insights you gave .

[@KyleMcDougall]

Glad you connected with this one and found it helpful.

[@scottyharp]

Really good info! Thanks for the inspiration!

[@lawrencehorowitz9291]

Nice job using your photographs to communicate your points. Liked your emphasizing the importance of taking the time to look, something I need to do.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thanks, Lawrence. 🙏

[@edinburghtumuran916]

Awesome tips, Buddy! Indeed, lights and shade are essential otherwise a totally flat image will be captured of no combinations of these two!

[@lolappank4147]

Your channel is a gem. Keep up the great work mate.

[@KyleMcDougall]

I appreciate that. Thank you.

[@jeremoe1]

Excellent video! Gave me a new perspective for looking at light. Thanks.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ZombieRofl]

Great insights. Really good! Glad that you made the choice to keep making content.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thank you.

[@johanvanvliet9043]

Great video a lot good points I need to work out thanks.

[@Dylanwade_]

Such helpful insight, as always. 🙏🏼

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thanks, Dylan. 🙏

[@TheFilmFellow]

Hey Kyle! Couldn’t agree more with your statement on picking the right light for a subject. It’s not always all about the golden hour. Many subjects here in Texas benefit from midday light. Great video!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed this one.

[@mattbray_studio]

super useful, thanks!

[@joseantoniosanchez9057]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 amazing! Great and very informative vid! This gave me a better checklist to go through in my head when metering/shooting and finding angles. Thank you!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Glad it was helpful!

[@susanneh2207]

Excellent video! So well explained with excellent examples! Thank you!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rickbiessman6084]

Such good ideas. Thanks so much man! )

[@KyleMcDougall]

You're welcome. Cheers!

[@yannmurzeau722]

Tremendous !

[@johnscratchley3288]

A really interesting video. I'm often in a situation where I am shooting in bright light situations and you make some really interesting points to consider. A great presentation, thanks.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, John.

[@maxstussi]

great video Kyle! love the shot of the odeon

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thanks, Max.

[@kriseric1]

Hey, this is high level information, thanks for sharing 👍

[@graydeotto2820]

Shooting in Ontario, my favourite lighting for much of my work is overcast light

[@oscarmedek7744]

Thank you Kyle! Not sure why this vid didn't pop up when it was first posted ahah but absolutely loved it. Your composition video really made me think differently about my photography just as I was starting to shoot film, and the combination of a new medium and renewed thinking made me a much better photorapher. I've always loved the look of your harshly lit photos and they've provided some inspiration for me in the past. Thanks for the tips in this video, your advice continues to help me grow my skills.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, Oscar! Really glad to hear that you connected with this one.

[@tunajames]

Where are you in your life to give this presentation at thumbs down? Thanks for fantastic presentation, Kyle.

[@KyleMcDougall]

😁 Thanks! Glad you enjoyed.

[@JohnKrill]

Generally I don’t comment on these tutorials so I just want to thank-you for them. I may not fallow along soaking everything you say but I do pay attention and when you discuss something I may need help with I’m all ears. So thanks. PS: It was your discussion of shadows that got my ears all bent out of shape.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thanks, John! Appreciate the comment.

[@BryanDorr]

Good points about the lighting; and fantastic video. The season and location latitude affects the light. I'm around 45.5°N latitude where the sun's elevation at noon is at nearly overhead at 67° during summer and low or off to the side 21° in the winter.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Absolutely. Good point, Bryan. Thanks for watching.

[@SummersSnaps]

Really liked the shadow shape point no. 4. I am definitely guilty of not paying enough attention to them here in Australia (where we have heaps of harsh blue sky days). Thanks, I will endeavor to keep my eyes open for these kind of elements. Thanks Kyle.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, Eddy!

[@Larpy1933]

This one is revelatory. My eyes have been opened.

[@SinaFarhat]

Thanks for the info! :)

[@edscannell1019]

Top work Kyle

[@KyleMcDougall]

Thanks, Ed!

[@edwincampos7142]

I’ve been following your journey for a couple of years, and what I truly love about your photography is your color palette, they are just sooo soothing. Thank you for your inspirational videos! Just one question, are the photos you are using as examples shot on film or digital?

[@KyleMcDougall]

I appreciate that, Edwin. Thank you! As for the images, there are a mix of film and digital in here.

[@ruudmaas2480]

Good creative advise !!

[@patriciophoto]

27 minutes which felt like 5. Great tips and beautiful compositions!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@mcgreevs24]

So glad the KZbin algorithm helped me find your channel. You are a delight, Sir! Such great info and perspective. So grateful you decided to share your knowledge. 🙏💯🙏

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, Martin. Glad you've enjoyed the videos!

[@mattiashaggstrom2049]

Thanks for an excellent video. I really like how you describe the shadows as a entity by them selves. As the shadow is two dimensional in reality it plays a important role in the picture as it is also two dimensional…

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, Mattias!

[@hukumongdu]

very interesting, I made similar transition from avoiding harsh light to really enjoying harsh contrasty shots ❤

[@jeffissimo1221]

Back in 2018, while on a trip from New Orleans to Utah, I shot the same motel you used in your thumbnail. It was located at the New Mexico/Texas border, on the NM side. It was at 8:00 am in the fall. The sky was clear so the light was strong and directional. All of the trees around the motel made the shot pretty difficult to expose. Since I was on somewhat of a schedule, I only spent about 30 minutes at that site. I got something I was satisfied with but not thrilled about. I had another day of driving so I couldn't spend too much time there. "Maybe next time."

[@KyleMcDougall]

Such an incredible area there. Sorry to hear the light wasn't working for ya when you were there. Hopefully you can go back at some point!

[@young1868]

Beautiful images^^^

[@george_edward_]

I honestly love harsh light... they don't sing the same way but I love the cast shadows

[@alanpods______8260]

Damn. Much like your composition techniques video, this is an absolute masterclass in how to use light. I feel as if I've been practically stumbling around in darkness all this time! Thanks!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Glad to hear you connected with this one as well!

[@caiochristofoli]

Most of these photos remind me Edward Hopper !! Great job and thanks for all skills shared !!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@firehorseweddingphotograph3995]

Very timely… I’ve been a full-time wedding photographer for 20+ years now, the last 5 based in SW France and for most of the last 5 years I have been trying to educate my clients about the realities of harsh light at their weddings…but recently I have done an about face in regard to this. Why? Because it’s like fighting the tide and with every client it’s starting from scratch so I decided to ‘embrace the suck’ as they say and instead work with what I am given. If that means harsh light for large chunks of the day, so be it. I’ll still try and push for say a golden hour couple session and try and assist them with the direction/location of an outdoor ceremony, but otherwise stop trying to send them in a direction that most simply won’t go in because my voice is not strong enough.

[@KyleMcDougall]

I personally enjoy the challenge of working with less than ideal conditions at times. It can be frustrating, but I find there's a way to work with everything, even if it may not be the absolute best for the situation.

[@plebbyplebster9595]

I'm SO looking forward to your US South West photobook .... gimme gimme gimme 😭

[@KyleMcDougall]

Coming soon. :)

[@NoahBility]

This Was A Masterclass, Kyle I Hope You Know That...Priceless Experience

[@KyleMcDougall]

Really appreciate that. Glad you found it helpful!

[@morrisbagnall2690]

I just got back from visiting the wife's side of the family in the USA. Lots of the type of images you took Kyle when you were out that way and I was saddened that each drive across country was such that stopping was only for gas and food. (I did pop into Chillicothe to see Matt Day's stomping ground for half an hour). The light was so harsh though, IN/PA/WV/VA/NJ/NC and frankly so bloody hot and humid I just didn't feel like venturing outside much. Anyway, just wanted to say I thought this was a great video and my own experiences reflect the points you raised. (I could have just said that couldn't I :))

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, Morris! I appreciate that. Very cool that you were able to do a quick trip across the country. I know how tough it can be on family trips when you want to shoot. But just all the more reason to plan a solo trip to go an make some photographs!

[@andreasmotzkus6181]

Thx a lot for this really instructive video. Today I got a parcel filled with Ektar 100 and Tmax films (120 format) and fall is coming soon here in Germany, since the first leaves are turning already red..... So, I'm really keen to implement what I learned from you. This video was just spot on regarding timing and content ;-)

[@KyleMcDougall]

Glad you enjoyed this one. Have fun!

[@Oirub]

How are you able to achieve such bright photos without the sky being blown out? Usually when I expose for the shadows and there are say clouds in the sky, they sky ends up white or very very light blue, and I'm not able to pull it back in post without it looking un natural. All of your photos with clouds are overall extremely well lit, while still having the sky look very natural. Thank you for this and all of your videos, the information is greatly appreciated!

[@KyleMcDougall]

Hey Orlando, are you scanning at home or getting it done at a lab?

[@Oirub]

@@KyleMcDougallThanks for the reply Kyle, I scan on an epson v550, I have the lab do the developing.

[@millerviz]

Those taillights were delicious!

[@geofff6671]

Great tutorial. I think Kodak films were designed to look good in bright sunlight as opposed to golden hour, because that was when most people’s snapshots were taken given slow aperture lenses and slow film that dominated for most of the film era.

[@maninderpalsingh963]

Subbed.....cool work

[@emanuelsagasti1102]

Just. Beutiful. Photos

[@Jim-BobWalton]

Amazingly beautiful work. Particularly the southern states desert work. How do you - especially given the harsh lighting - manage to maintain a tonal range where highlights are NOT entirely blown out? I think especially of those images of cars.

[@AneViktoria]

If you wanna get even more technical, I’d love to hear how you create such balanced photos shooting in such harsh light! Like, how do you balance the shadow and highlights so well? Are you always metering for the shadows? What iso are you using and how much is post processing? My skies are always blown out when I shot like this. I usually shoot film, but are some of this digital? Would LOVE to hear some of these answers:)

[@KyleMcDougall]

Every image is different, for sure. Some of these are digital, but a large portion are shot with film. When shooting in harsh light, I'll usually overexpose a little bit just to make sure I have information in the deep shadows. This is often as simple as using the camera's built in meter with a stop of overexposure. And then when I process them later, I'll open up the shadows to balance things out. The nice thing about colour negative and B&W is there ability to hold info in the highlights.

[@BackFocus11]

Amen on no such things as bad light. Creativity rules.

[@KyleMcDougall]

🙌

[@TarrelScot]

What an informative video, thank you. Regarding shooting into the shadows, may I ask; are you setting those shadows as a mid-tone when you meter?

[@ras2010]

Really inspiring video thank you. Was trying to guess what you metered for throughout - would love something, anything (an arrow or any indication would do). Would that be possible for the images you used in this brilliantly informative vid?

[@KyleMcDougall]

Cheers, Rasmus. I'd say that for most of the images in this vid, I likely just used the internal meter in the camera. Multiple cameras were used, but they were probably all center weighted.