Early morning. Two different locations. Two different lighting situations. And I like them both.
Up early and walking next to the water on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Very soft overcast light. A good time for a simple composition. Look how the dark-trunked tree in the center leads your eye leftward. So does the diagonal line of the tops of the trees. Nice feeling of movement as a result.
And then there is the early morning directional light on Martha's Vineyard. The lighting and the wide-angle lens make this a busier photo than the first, but shallow depth of field keeps the background out of focus yet enables it to add to the story. And look at the diagonal lines here, how the angle of the boat and the streak of sunlight in the sand move your eye into the frame.
Do we have to choose? The golden light of dawn on Martha's Vineyard versus the overcast skies of South Carolina? Both lighting situations can be excellent for photography.
What I really want to say is that it just doesn't matter. Get up, get out, take a look around. Work with what you're given. Keep it simple. But oh, please, do look at the light.
©Carol Leigh
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