Magic Light for Wildlife Photography

[@stevethompson8154]

I enjoy magic light but find my own front door the biggest obstacle.

[@benjamin-neal-warner]

Hardest point of magic light... waking up and getting out early enough ;P It truly is beautiful, the softness and clashing of warm and cool. There's another variety of magic light that's available any time of day, and that's the sprinkles that filter through the canopy in a forest. It's great for viewing with the naked eye but for photography a real challenge. It's concentrated in tiny pockets here and there which constantly come in and out of existence as the sun moves and the wind shuffles the leaves around. Getting that split second timing where a shy forest bird hops onto a branch in what seems like a spotlit stage is a magical moment.

[@tucompaivan]

light is king and understanding it takes practice and time.

[@tucompaivan]

Note to myself

[@beckyb4948]

I have gotten very few shots with the 'magic light.' The only one that made it to my wall is of three reticulated giraffes in Kenya who had just walked into a rapidly dimming pool of foreground light as the sun was setting. The background plain, scrub brush and sky were already fairly dark and in a cool haze. The giraffes were lit with a soft warm glow that really stood out against that cool background. The foreground in front of the animals was already shaded as was the ground they were walking on. So the animals were the only part of the picture that were getting warm soft light. They were magnificent! That was absolutely the best shot from the entire trip! Do I want another in the same vein? Absolutely! I've been trying for decades to get it again, but nothing so far has matched. I realized some time ago that light is the essence of photography. Whether it's giraffes or ducks or buildings or people or landscapes, the light on the subject and how it is captured provides the emotional sense of the picture. I'm absolutely devouring your playlist on light. Please keep going.

[@WildlifeInspired]

Thanks so much Becky!

[@cliftonwhittaker260]

The most unique magic sunrise light I ever seen is retained only in my memory. I have never seen another like it and I say this after having spent most of my life in and around the woods and mountains. I was hunting squirrels and didn't have a camera with me. I was climbing a fairly steep wooded ridge to the west when light first began to seep into the woods. But it didn't look like any sunrise light I had ever seen before. It was as if the surroundings began to glow from an internal light source. The forest floor, then the tree trunks gradually began to glow like they were on a rheostat. It didn't look like the forest was being lit up by an external source at all. It looked like the forest and forest floor were the light source and the illumination was coming from within. It was indeed wondrous. As soon as I could find an opening in the edge of the woods I looked back to the east to see what was creating this phenomenon. The Tennessee Divide Ridge was to the east, then there was a small valley maybe 1/8 mile wide still in shadow and then the beginning of the slope if the ridge I was on. There was a thin layer of clouds covering the whole sky but there was a thin opening between the top of the Tenn Ridge and the cloud cover. As the sun rose, and before it reached the horizon for sunrise, the light rays crossed the crest of the TN Ridge and hit the cloud cover. The ridge that I was on was slowly and gradually being filled with most beautifully soft, diffused, warm lighting I have ever seen. If I could create this quality in the studio I would be a rich portrait photographer. I've never forgotten that experience from some time in the early 80s.

[@WildlifeInspired]

Sounds like magic !

[@733-y1c]

Tone: lightness or darkness of a color (think in greyscale) Hue: the characteristics that make up the actual color, purple is created by mixing red and blue hues to create a secondary color or hue. Love your videos Scott, I'm trained in color theory/ science.

[@WildlifeInspired]

That's a good point. I probably use too much common language without always being careful about it technical accuracy. Im on it!

[@brentlaubephotog2155]

Magic light, yes! Just a few weeks ago on a cold morning; ~28 and perfectly calm. Fog bank rolled in along a river just as the sun cleared the horizon. Suddenly felt like I was a performer on a stage. Brilliant filtered, warm glow w/o shadows. And, of course, like you mention, nothing to shoot😢.

[@WildlifeInspired]

Sounds great! And tragic!

[@19Photographer76]

So Scott, one needs to remember that on the Eastern shore you have a 'clean' sunrise unless there's volcanic ash in the atmosphere or wildfire smoke. In Texas, the sun is much dirtier (filtered sunlight). Here in Oregon, our sunrise is much different light than you get.

[@craigwallace166]

I have witnessed this “magic light” a few times, but my skill and knowledge were lacking to take advantage of it. Your series on light has helped me get a better understanding of light and techniques to take advantage of light to make better images. Now I just have to remember it all. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@robinlee7531]

I agree with this assessment, I experience and seen plenty of similar conditions albeit rare, but subjects are not often at the right spot and right time, but when they do, it's a jackpot.

[@WhitefirePL]

I've started to notice this amazing warm-cold combination in other photographers' work - before this video, I mean. Me, I have had very limited experience with wildlife at sunrise, it's usually just landscapes at this hour.

[@joncothranphotography9375]

I totally agree! I was able to catch a female mallard pruning and it was some of my most favorable images, but I have not been able to catch it again for wildlife. I did catch it a couple of time for landscape. It makes for a satisfying sesion for sure!

[@whiteknucklestormchasing]

My favorite light is side lighting where you can get warm and cool light on the subject with a little halo lighting sometimes around the edges of the subject .

[@WildlifeInspired]

light at angles is always a good play! GIves shape. I will certainly explore more on this. I am currently making a whole video on "light at angles" Stay tuned

[@charlesd2109]

That magical combination of warm and cool light can also be found when there is snow or ice on the ground/water. I love it for landscape photography at or close to sunrise/sunset. I have also been able to take advantage of that with wildlife. For example, a beaver on the ice at the edge of open water, with the late afternoon sun giving a coppery glow to the open water and adding warmth to the fur, contrasted with the cool tones of the snow. One bonus ... these conditions last longer in winter since the since angle is so low, especially the further north you go. The biggest challenge I find is getting the white balance right.

[@ambrosechiu2338]

you are 100% right. I did have photos at sunrise abd sunset period and they are different to day light photography.

[@scottheppel8847]

On a recent trip to the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia Island, we had a few days of magic light at sunrise. Photographing the mountainous island landscapes from the ship as the sun broke the horizon provided an incredible combination of warm and cool tones on the snow-covered peaks.

[@WildlifeInspired]

JEALOUS!

[@sujithcheeral]

Very beautiful session❤. I have been seeing this magical light and trying to capture ,but not the wildlife mainly because I don't have the gear to produce that with good quality so I am doing the landscape on this magical light. This light is so beautiful it gives the harmony of blue and yellow or red. Thanks!

[@GeirStene-Larsen-mq2vm]

Very inspiring. I sure will spend more time on the search for good and magic light. Thank you for another splendid video.

[@tracykuenn4589]

My light is all over place but hey I’m AdHd lol 😂 but I’m learning 😊 Awesome teacher , very informative

[@ashfield001]

Scott, love your content, tuition skills and inspiring spirit. Interestingly, I have been capturing some of the “magic light” out at the beach photographing small shorebirds. And if my memory serves me correctly, it from one of your previous videos that inspired to get me out there in the first place. Thank you!

[@WildlifeInspired]

Thanks for sharing!

[@BrettOssman]

Never thought of it this way intentionally, but will experiment with it. 🙂

[@neilcole3406]

I wish you would put the full frame of these wonderful shots when showing us Scott!

[@WildlifeInspired]

I am working on it. It's a tougher workflow on my end but it's the right thing to do.

[@rakneuro]

A great topic for this video and the photos you displayed are truly magic. Because I often view your videos on my phone, I would love it if you would display yourself in the small box and your photos full screen [Scott, you’re not bad looking, but you can’t compete with the beautiful birds😉].

[@WildlifeInspired]

Noted. I will be honest. Mostly with lots of photos it's easier on my editing workflow. But subscribe and tell me if it makes a difference. I have a bunch of vids queued up. Maybe March I'll have the now format ready

[@kaido3471]

It's Physics: Wide open aperture against the light produces less defraction and hence soft hues. I use it in landscapes a lot.

[@joanneabramson2645]

Scott, I wish you had produced this video in reverse with the photos large, and your narrating in smaller or off-screen so that your description of the photos could have really been appreciated. The nuances of the photos are so compelling, yet would have benefitted from an enlarged perspective. I have photographed waves at the "Magic Hour" 30 minutes before and after sunset where you get that interplay of cool and warm, shadows and light. It is quite dramatic.

[@WildlifeInspired]

I am working on changing the layout ! It's more work on my editing but it's the right thing to do.

[@sarahbatsford4791]

Not really magical light with birds, novice here. Warming up here in Australia so really looking forward to getting up early for the magical light😊

[@paulbradbury7166]

Destination before sunrise. Try to get the subjects, once you get a great shot the rest of the day is a bonus IMO. But incase you dont get a shot just enjoy the wonderful experience of being outside.

[@TheWildlifeGallery388]

I had this just 2-days ago Scott ! A magic sunrise with a spattering of soft clouds the eastern sky was a burnt orange which turned the water a glorious PINK and I had a ringneck Duck in it! my shutter I took all the way down to 320 - I was 5.6 and iso was still 10,000! - I had NO useable images and I took several hundred hoping and praying for at least 1- thinking back, I had a 1.4 tel on my 600 prime - wishing I had taken it off and given it a go at f4, the duck wasn't Close, I was needing to crop about 25% even at 840mm - so maybe that's the reason - all I know is how long will it take for me to ever be presented with that again? most likely never.

[@WildlifeInspired]

If shooting low atmospheric distortion could also be on play on cold days

[@markjensen663]

Yes I know this light, I eat sleep and breath for this light. If there was a state or country that that specialized in this light I would move there.

[@mustachadon]

I dont think i have a lens capable of taking usable photos in that low light.

[@WildlifeInspired]

If you are above f4, it can be tough, and requires slower shutter speeds more. You can do takes at 1/100 of birds (not ideal and you need lots of clicks) but you can achieve this