It is early morning when I walk my sleepy, barely opened eyes into the kitchen. Today I will be preparing scrambled eggs for breakfast. Clumsily the ingredients are gathered on the counter, unhurriedly the pan is placed on the stove to melt some butter. Each egg is cracked on the side of the warm pan and once all the eggs have been added, a wooden spoon gently mixes them. Over the low flame the eggs cook slowly, which allows time to get the coffee going.
I wait for the espresso machine to pour out the warm, dark, energizing drink that entices my nose, and for the nourishment that will quiet my grumbling stomach to finish cooking. In between yawns and eye rubbings I notice the beautiful early morning light peering in through the dining room window. The light is gentle, and when it touches the table the highlights are a bit harsh, the shadows somewhat mysterious. The only word that floats through my mind is…wow!
Not wanting to overcook the eggs I turn my attention back to them. When they have finished cooking I turn the heat off, place the pan on the back burner and begin pouring myself a cup of coffee. But my eyes again turn back to that little corner of the dining room.
Fighting fatigue and hunger I know I have to capture the scene. I look around to see what subject I can photograph in this dreamy light. Eggs. Quickly I gather them along with a wooden eggcup holder and some feathers courtesy of our Cockatiels. (Don’t worry, I didn’t pluck our birds. The feathers are a result of their molting.) Without much thought I arrange the scene and pickup my camera. I snap three photos before feeling satisfied and no longer able to ignore my grumbling stomach, which is telling me it needs food now.
After breakfast I finally check the photos on my camera’s screen…The light was captured exactly as I saw it two hours ago. Now I begin regretting not having shot more photos. Darn, an opportunity missed. As I am cleaning up the kitchen the photos and light keep crawling back into my thoughts. I really should have shot more photos. Then and there I decide another photo session must take place, but by this time the light is completely different. No longer are the dramatic light and shadows touching the eggs and feathers in the same manner. Disappointed, I turn my attention back to the day’s activities.
Unfortunately due to a packed agenda the next few mornings would not allow for another photo session. That same day and later that night I once again feel the urge to setup the same scene from the morning’s mini photo session. I try very hard to recreate the scene with artificial light, but I just can’t. I persevere and end up shooting the following photos.
On that day I re-learned that just as in life, in photography we too must seize the moment. The big bright star in the sky is constantly shifting, and those shifts result in different shooting conditions, of course. If we rely on the sun to provide the light in which we shoot our photos we must always be aware of how it falls on our shooting areas, and how different times of the day will affect lighting conditions. Each day will differ somewhat. One day the sky may be clear, or it may be cloudy, perhaps there are a few clouds covering the sun — each condition will yield a different photograph.
Working with artificial light is easier to control and our results may be more consistent. Even saying so there are other factors that can cause slight differences in exposures captured on different days. One must take into account the direction in which the light was set up, was a bounce or reflector used, what angle did we shot from, what colors where used and how did they affect the overall mood and light. All of those factors also apply to shooting with sunlight.
Every time you point your camera at your subject there are many things to consider. Light is perhaps the single most important element in all types of photography. So if I can leave you with one tip, it is to seize the moment when conditions look perfect to you and what you want to capture. You may not get the chance to recreate the exact look next time.
“Light makes photography. Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography.” ~ George Eastman
The featured photo was included in my photography book, Yummy Pics: A Food Blogger’s Guide to Better Photos. In it you can read more about shooting with both sunlight and artificial light. Further more I explain how light direction affects a photograph, making use of different light types, using reflectors and bounce, what impact different lighting conditions have on an exposure, and much much more. If you’d like to preview the book please go to this page. Additionally you can read through my previous food photography tutorials in the archives here. Thanks!
Have a great weekend and I hope you squeeze in time for a photo session or two.
Great post, I like this series of yours, I always learn something.
Thanks Marta:)
Gorgeous shots! I love the light in your pictures.
Cheers,
Rosa
Thanks Rosa!
Like you, all I can say is wow!!! Beautiful shots Nancy :)
Thanks so much Nandita!:)
Lovely light..and you made your morning routine sounds so peaceful.
Thanks Monique:)
Beautiful post …enjoyed not only the pictures but also the text. You have a very unique photography style which I really like and admire.
Thanks so much Shema. Your photos are beautiful, keep up the great work.
I love how the smaller feathers look like they’re floating.
Thanks, I love that you saw something I didn’t.:)
G’day Nancy, Your photos always inspire me!
I make use of every moment of every day because another day we all don’t know if we will see!
Cheers! Joanne
That’s great that you do Joanne, a good example to us all. Thanks!
Nancy, lovely shots with beautiful lighting. I enjoying your morning routine.
Thank you Ash!
You always produce the most amazing images and this is another great example.
Such a lovely story to illustrate the point too :)
Thank you, Julie:)
All the photos are interesting but the top one certainly has a special atmosphere and light to it – quite lovely.
Thanks Suzanne, it is my favorite one.
Your photos always inspire me… so dramatic… they tell great stories. :)
Thank you amiga!
I enjoyed the read and I could imagine the timely bright photography moment. Sometimes the perfect light stream is just available for a few minutes, at least that happens in my garden with the big branches covering the strong light and then you have these little wholes where the light comes in stronger in different levels. I use it sometimes between 1-3 pm for certain whiter shots. Thanks for the lovely explanation Nancy. Just dropped in quickly, gotta run now. ;)
Thanks Helene, that’s great that you are aware of the time frame in your shooting area.:)
So true! It’s all too often a race to photograph food, but it’s always worth spending the extra time on it (and just accepting all your meals from here on in are gonna be cold!). Imagine doing this for a job when your belly didn’t depend on the outcome, you could literally take all day!
Janie x
I really could spend all day photography food.:)
Beautiful light and a wonderful reminder to make the most of each moment!
Indeed, thanks Laura.
You’ve outdone yourself again, Nancy! Absolutely spectacular!
Thank you Bill!
Great shots and reat momentary inspiration. You have an eye for it. For many people a specila light moment would go unseen.
Thanks so much Evelyne.:)
gorgeous clicks, had fun reading the whole post and learnt some things too :-)
Then my job was done, thanks Kumar!:)
These are fantastic pictures Nancy!
The lightening captures just perfect an early morning impression.
Very well written too, I enjoyed the reading as much as the photos :)
Thank you so much Daniela!
Photography is all about light, isn’t it? No light, no photos. Really good post. And great pictures.
Yes, it really is. Thanks John!
Awee…that first click is mesmerizing indeed! Very truly said that we need to master the most toughest part of photography ‘ the light’ to get the best out of our gadget and the subject. Will keep these pointers in mind.
Glad you concur Sanjeeta, thank you!
What a great post Nancy! Seize the moment applies to so many things in life! I had to smile while reading this because I can’t count the number of times that my husband has grabbed his camera when he sees something in a beautiful light. You certainly captured the moment. Gorgeous photos and love the subject matter.
Hehe, so I’m like your husband. Thanks so much MJ!:)
I do the same thing. :) Sometimes those impromptu sessions yield decent results and sometimes they don’t but isn’t it fun? You’re so talented–my photo session out of preparing breakfast wouldn’t look this good. :)
That’s great that you do too, Jean. Not every session is a winning one for me, but as long as we think it’s fun that’s all that maters. Thanks:)
Come for the food, stay for the photography. Or is it the other way around?! Nancy, your photos always inspire me and your recipes stir the senses. :)
Aw, thank you so much Judy!:)
I stumbled onto this part of your website after making some homemade pickles. They have a few days to go, They’re so beautiful, I keep opening the fridge just to look at them. I hope they taste as good as thy look. Anyway, beautiful description of photography and photos. I’m thinking of taking photography next semester at the local college. We have a decent (cheap) camera, but nothing super fancy like lights and all that. Which is okay with what you’ve described in this blog. Natural light is awesome! Thank you for sharing your wisdom and ideas!
Hi Cheryle,
I’m glad you are enjoying looking at your homemade pickles. the waiting is the hardest part.:) Thank you and glad you like this article. Have fun joining your photography course next semester!