The Light Preserve Photography

Lightfall

In addition to subject and composition, the light frequently adds additional drama and impact to an image. These are photographs that I made because of the light. It is the light that makes interesting photographs of these subjects, some of which are otherwise rather mundane.

Early morning light sparkles on the water of Three Men in a Boat. The shoreline in shadow gives the photograph more visual "weight," and it balances and counters the silhouettes of the three fishermen. An added bonus is that the boat is yellow, providing an additional element of contrast to the scene.

During the last two weeks of February, the sun sets below Yosemite Valley at an angle that can put fire into Horsetail Falls. However, if there is no water in the small lake that supplies Horsetail, then the waterfall doesn't flow. Nor does it flow if the water is frozen, which is not uncommon in winter. Also, there's no show if clouds come between the falls and the setting sun. It becomes, then, a matter of being there, setting up the camera, and hoping for a good show. You'll have about seven minutes to make the photograph.

The photograph of Mesa Arch shows what it is in early morning light, but more than what you see when you're there. Because our eyes are less sensitive to color in low light, we don't perceive the full brilliance of color contrasts at the arch at dawn. Photographic film, however, registers the colors fully, and this image is the result of about two seconds exposure.

Light plays a major role in the success of Under the Pier. It sparkles like reflected light at a discotheque, and enhances the perspective and line of the overhead beams. The result is a unique image of a subject of thousands of unremarkable photographs. This one has The Light.

The strength of Appointment with an Awning lies in the bold, diagonal shadow. That is the element that provides impact and interest in this image dominated by vertical and horizontal lines.

Vertical lines, diagonal shadows and speckled sunlight become repeated patterns in 93.8° Fahrenheit. The repetition is countered by the single temperature guage at lower right, adding interest and a focal point for our attention to settle upon. Without the light casting the strong shadows of this image, it's just a set of metal steps.

Sometimes, light and line become the image. Such is the case with Her Graceful Light, which won an award at the 2003 Autumn Arts Festival. The luminescent curves hold attention to this abstract of Lower Antelope Canyon.

The bird is a Dalmation Pelican. Late afternoon light puts the background into deep shadow, and places the bird, a threatened species, At the Edge of Darkness. We can see just a hint of the long-leafed green plants behind the bird. Light and shape produce an interesting photograph of an interesting subject, and a First Place Award at the California Mid-State Fair.

In the last few moments of direct sunlight, I was able to photograph Imaginary Friends. Without the light, and the shadows, there would be little interest to this image. This photograph was awarded Best of Show at the California Mid-State Fair.

Sunrise on Ice was photographed in February at Yosemite Valley. The golden morning sunlight contrasts nicely with the icey blue. The ice formation is still in shadow, and the morning light reflected off high rock walls in Yosemite Valley provides a striking impact. You can almost hear the brittle ice tinkle and crack as it warms. This photograph earned First Place and Best of Show at the Santa Barbara Fair.

The schoolhouse at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park gets sweet light in the morning that complements the warm tones of the wood. The restoration of this room is comprised almost entirely of its orginal contents, but the light is what sets Before the Bell apart from common snapshots of this and similar scenes. It earned a First Place Award at the Santa Barbara County Fair.