RobinRedbreast Loc: Salt Lake City

I thrive on using natural light all the time. But sometimes the challenges ... very little or no light. Yep no light. I would love to hear experiences....good and bad...but most important incite into how to effectively use and capitalize on natural light.
Thanks

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

You don’t say what camera(s)you use, but most cameras today are pretty good in low light/high ISO situations. And of course the Max aperture of the lens can have some impact. Plus there are de-noise programs that can help high ISO noise.

Cany143 Loc: SE Utah

Don't know that I thrive on it as such, but I do depend on light quite a lot. Low light? Pfft! That's easy to deal with. But "no light"? Crikey! Short of breaking out my Official Dick Tracy No-Light Sleuthin' Kit IR Goggles, without some kind of light I wouldn't even know which way to point my camera. If, in fact, I could even find my camera.

But rather than getting into the pin-headed weeds of camera capabilities and ISOs and after-the-fact software solutions, I do think there's a lot to be said about natural (or more precisely, available) light. First, that it's best to recognize that there are many, many kinds of 'natural' light, and that no one or two of those are necessarily better or worse than any of the others, even if one or two of those various kinds of light may be more 'appropriate' or 'useful' or 'revealing' (or etc.) for a particular subject, or for a particular photographer's intended visual intent.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

RR, you haven't given us any information about how long you've been shooting, what you photograph and why you photograph it (such as hobby or sales).

I'll share a resource that stresses working with the light instead of fighting conditions. This relates to Cany143's comment above: "there are many, many kinds of 'natural' light, and no one or two of those are necessarily better or worse than any of the others."

YouTube videos of Scottish landscape photographer, Alister Benn, are about "Expressive Photography."

"Is it really all about the light?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s800XJsz8GU

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Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Also, since UHH's master landscape photographer, Cany143, has already commented in this thread, you should study his masterful use of light:

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/user-topic-list?usernum=83974

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Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

Welcome to UHH RobinRedbreast...
Best Advice? Maybe invest some quality time on UHH first before you begin posting queries, k?
We have an outstanding community of talented photographers aboard.

"I thrive on using natural light all the time..." Robin I don't and I avoid all forms natural illumination if at all possible, it is highly unpredictable, and varies widely in color temperature.

That said your initial post has an aura of being confrontational, i.e. a dissertation on the virtues of "natural light" as shown in the opening line of your very first post on UHH. Maybe chill and please don't worry about being judged on the merits (or lack of) latent within your photographic work, this is a community of those who work at all ends of the expertise spectrum.

However I will endeavor to address your initial request "but most important incite into how to effectively use and capitalize on natural light."

I for one cherish meaningful conversations on relevant photographic subjects that are adequately documented by an OP (i.e. an original poster). Since you've yet to post images on UHH I'm concerned about a potential hidden agenda here. Please first share some of your photographic work so we can respond in a more relevant a.k.a. meaningful manner, thank you.

My initial take here? All too often I have seen those who have yet to master the effective use of on and off camera illumination with a stated premise of "I only use Natural Light" as a ploy to dismiss those those have mastered it's use as irrelevant to any discussion of illumination".

Robin if you hope to work commercially it may be in your best long term interest to seriously master on and off camera lighting since natural illumination is highly unpredictable in both intensity and color temperate. This can (and often does) result in a serious challenge for effective (and creative) control with the sole use of "daylight" ambient.

That said I use "Natural Illumination" extensively for one of my primary clients (a League Girls Soccer Team). To address your query I've posted several examples here and methodology on how I've deploy said illumination to meet and hopefully exceed each client's expectations.

Hope this might help you in your quest to support whatever inference and/or agenda you may be focused on.
Again, welcome to UHH Robin! Truly hope you will enjoy a lengthy tenure since UHH has so much of offer.
Cheers! Thomas

League Soccer: Match play Girls U18; Nikon D810 with AF 300mm f/2.8; at 1/2500; f/5.6 (Manual Exposure: with Auto ISO) Venue: Maryland SoccerPlex

(Download)

Agency Model "Test" Creative: Nikon D3 with AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR; at 1/1000; f/5.6; IS0 360; FL 100mm (Manual Exposure: with Auto ISO)

(Download)

Agency Model Portfolio Image: Nikon D3x with AF 135mm DC f/2D ED IF Nikkor; Manual Exposure: f/3.2; 1/2000; ISO 100; Venue: Washington & Old Dominion Trail

(Download)

cliff Hilbert Loc: Plano, TX

A lot more people use Natural Light instead of Bud Light after the last few weeks.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

ALL light is natural.

What you are probably referring to is sunlight, which is produced by thermonuclear fusion. But that is only one way to produce light, and nature provides us with MANY other ways.

Depending on sunlight alone can be problematic, not even considering nighttime (the time between evening astronomical twilight and morning astronomical twilight) although sometime moonlight can be used (again, that's sunlight). Direct sun at high noon is known to produce harsh shadows on faces. You can use fill flash or a reflector to provide light to mitigate the shadows, but again the light is generated naturally.

Then again, what we usually consider light is only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

PS: here is a photo I took in moonlight. It was taken with a D200, before the advent of the high efficiency sensors. This is a 10 second exposure. Looks pretty much like daylight since it's the same light source, just reflected by the moon. Slightly right of center, above the trees, you can see a star.

Robertl594 Loc: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Nantucket

Thomas, a little aggressive towards a new member? RobinRedBreast asked a question and I don’t think it warrants a diatribe in response. It certainly was not offensive to me. If you don’t want to answer it, don’t, but my interpretation of the tone and tenor of your reply does not represent my typical positive experience and the positive benefits of this forum.

RobinRedBreast, Thomas902 is a very knowledgeable and frequent contributor to our forum.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

High ISO's and adobe deNoise.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

Robin, I enjoy the challenges of shooting by moonlight and sometimes starlight. But the sweeping expanse of your question is simply too broad. How to effectively use natural light covers a giant chunk of photography generally.

Tomfl101 Loc: Mount Airy, MD

Ha Ha good one!

Bubbee Loc: Aventura, Florida

I disagree! Thomas has been very helpful and encouraging to me! No offense, but I think you may have misunderstood his reply.
He is one of the best here...show him your work and he will help! My advice...get a mirrorless (Z) which works great n low light!

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

I agree with your unpredictability of natural light color and maybe shooting B&W is a better way to use natural light.

Canisdirus

Well...outdoors and at a distance...everyone is forced to use available light from the sun.

But get a bit closer...outside...and a flash will change everything.
I almost always use it closer subjects.

Now with wireless flashes... I can set up as many as 6 flashes in a scene...place them wherever I want.

That gives great range for flash photography as opposed to off the camera with whatever.

Natural light is great...but flash can make that sun...pop like nothing else can.

90% of photography is...light.
Don't limit yourself...take advantage of every option you can.

I love the sun...and use it all the time...but I won't hesitate to add a flash in...or two ...or six.