"Not a cloud in the sky!". To a photographer, that's very bad news! We LOVE clouds.
I've decided to do an occasional photography tip article, which can be used by everybody from vacationers, to seasoned photo buffs.
In most types of photography, clouds are highly desired, even in wedding photography. They bring huge advantages to a photo shoot, whether it's people who are your subject, or landscapes. The photo on top of this post is one of my favorite landscapes that I shot two years ago while traveling the south Pacific. It's a photo of Sydney Harbor, in Australia. (my new favorite place on earth to visit). Imagine that photo, without those amazing cloud formations. The sky would be a huge blank, boring space. Nothing. If I had kept the photo in color, it would of course be a huge blue space. In B&W though, it would have been a huge gray space, had there been no clouds. Thank God for the clouds that day! The clouds are a major part of the photograph.
How about when people are the subject? Clouds again are ideal. The main reason for this is because the clouds soften, or "diffuse" the sunlight. The clouds transform the entire sky into a studio light. There is not much uglier than harsh, contrasty sunlight beating down on someone. Not only does is cause squinting, but it is just horrible photography all around. You've seen photos where the subjects have dark "raccoon eyes", because the sunlight is overhead, and the eye sockets get no light and become dark shadows in the photo. Other harsh shadows appear as well. Of course, the last hour of sunlight in a day, we refer to as "magic hour". The sun is low in the sky, and is diffused through the atmospere the entire way. But I digress. Let's get back to clouds.
With clouds, even on badly overcast days, there are no shadows. This is perfect! The lighting is even and uniform from all directions, like in a photography studio. Next time you are walking around outside on a very cloudy day, look for your shadow. There will be none. Or at least there may possibly be a very faint hint of a shadow.
The photo below was one I shot on a very cloudy day last summer. Notice the nice, even lighting on the faces of Ben and Cheyanne. I am predominantly a natural light shooter, and I did not use flash. There was no need for it.
Also, the photo below here, which I shot in the snow recently. Notice there are no shadows anywhere.(not even shadows casting off their bodies onto the ground) Not only was it very cloudy, but the snow on the ground makes for a great reflector to bounce light back up and all around my subjects, Joe and Kimberly. There is a very faint hint of shadow on her face from her hat, but not nearly enough to call for flash.
So if you like taking photographs, wait for a really cloudy day, then get happy, and pull that camera out, and go shooting! Count those clouds as big fluffy blessings from above. The clouds "dress up" the sky in your landscape shots, and they soften the light for your people shots. They really are your friends. Embrace them.
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