Michael Yamashita—Landscape and Nature

Lessons 11–12

I

n a Japanese garden, the designer prescribes certain views for visitors.
In other words, the designer situates elements in the garden, such as a
bridge or plantings, in such a way that visitors are encouraged to spend
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to new insights. Photographers hope to accomplish the same thing with their
photographs—to prompt viewers to exercise their imaginations in looking at
an image and gain a different perspective on the world. For this reason, the
elements of photography are the same as the elements of design: concern
for the foreground, middle ground, and background; composition; color;
and so on. In these lessons, we’ll see how these design concepts are applied
to photography.

Good and Bad Light
You sometimes hear photographers talk about “bad light,” but a professional
can’t always afford to wait for the perfect light. Working photographers have
to shoot at all times of the day; thus, it’s important to observe and understand
the qualities of light throughout the day. You also need to know how to
work with the light you have. For example, the solution to shooting in harsh
midday light may be a greater awareness of subject placement. For some
subjects, midday light may even be the best. For example, midday is the best
time to capture the aqua color of the sea in the Bahamas or the prismatic hot
springs in Yellowstone Park.

What photographers call “magic hour” is the time of day when the cool light
of night meets the warm light of day. Of course, the best time to capture this
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your images, rather than just an element that illuminates the scene.

If you’re in a city, don’t put your camera away when the sun goes down.
Focus on combining the electric lights of the city and cars with the cool light
of the evening. Or photograph a scene very early in the morning, when the
street lights are still on but the warm light of day is advancing. Don’t put