Light vs. Setting vs. Subject

Q: Which is more important in creating a photograph? Great light, great setting, or great subject?

A: Obviously if you’ve got all three it’s like you’ve struck gold.  But if you photograph weddings, or portraits in an uncontrolled setting (i.e., outdoors), then often it’s sadly unusual to get all three in one shoot.

Personally if I had to choose only one, I would choose great light.  I can use my knowledge of lenses to minimize (or even creatively use) a sub-par background, and use appropriate direction to encourage the subject and produce good shots of him or her, but as a natural light photographer, there’s not much I can do to adjust the sun!  This is why many natural-light photographers try to shoot around morning or late afternoon, when the light is gentler, and the shadows are softer.

Photo•graphy
From the Greek word “phos” (light”) and “graphê“ (drawing). A photograph is still a photograph without subject or setting. Without light it is nothing!

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