Knowing the best times for outdoor photos

 

Janique Goff Madison, a photography student, advises that to develop our skills in photography, we should be flexible or adaptive to any given situation, especially when taking outdoor pictures. For beginners, he suggests the following times of the day as a starting point for creativity.

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Dusk and dawn

This is twilight in simple terms, says Janique Goff Madison. Often referred to as the blue hour, twilight is when the sky has a blue tint before it gets completely dark. Because of the low and soft light at this period, a higher ISO, a slow shutter speed, and wider aperture is particularly needed.

Golden Hour

This is the short period of time after sunrise and then before sunset. Janique Goff Madison says that this only lasts for about 15 minutes. It is when the sun is near the horizon, casting off warm and soft light. You may also need a higher ISO, slower shutter speed, and wider aperture than in midday. Pointing the camera toward the sun, however, will cause lens flare due to the sun’s low angle.

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Mid-morning & mid-afternoon

This is favorable for landscapes, as well as taking pictures of seascapes and cityscapes for the interesting shadows it creates. Janique Goff Madison advises to consider that the sun is higher at this point, casting long shadows; and that light is even brighter than when the sun is near the horizon. He suggests a lower ISO, faster shutter speed, and narrower aperture.

Night photography

Here’s what Janique has to say about night photography. The low light condition is a great opportunity for some creativity. For example, a moving light source can result to pictures of light trails with a slow shutter speed. It is better if you use a tripod, and raising the ISO as high as possible and a wide aperture with high quality zoom can help you achieve better night time photos.