Did you know all of my images are taken with 100% Natural lighting?
There are a few reasons I have done this, so in this evening’s post, I thought I would explain why I embrace only the sun for every single image I take.
When studying photography at college (now several years ago, which is rather scary) I learned how to use studio lighting & even invested in some, as I loved the sleek, refined shadows and highlights that could be created. But once I learned how to embrace and control what mother nature provided, I started to see the pitfalls in studio lighting for the style of images I was wanting to produce. There are certain images which absolutely couldn’t be achieved without multiple light sources… but for the natural images I love to create, there really is no need, even when producing a dramatic, contrasting shot like the one heading this post.
From the few shoots I did with studio lights at the start of my career, I found immediately that some horses were extremely relaxed about the set up, however others could understandably be spooked and upset. I love horses to look alert in images, but never want to make them feel anxious, so this was a huge reason for me to stop using them.
Secondly, horses will be horses – Unlike a human they may not stand and pose in the exact way or exact spot I choose and that is absolutely fine, I can easily move my feet and still have a beautiful soft light if the horse decides to stand 5m to the left of the spot I have chosen. however for a flash set up, there is much less flexibility, which for horses who need to move their feet can prove difficult.
The first 10 seconds at each new location are often when the horses pose best – they are taking in the surroundings & in that time, I can capture a series of beautiful images. Taking the time to set up lighting would mean that I miss that crucial window of time.
Each horse has their limit as to how long a photo shoot can be. With this in mind, not having to carry, set up and move lots of equipment simply means that during a photo shoot, we can cover much more, which is why each of my clients can expect a gallery of around 100 images which are all varied in location, poses, lighting & outfits.
As mentioned before, there are other photographic styles which absolutely would require studio lighting, but for me, embracing nature is so important & it allows me to create the feeling I desire throughout my work.
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