One of the commentors at this blog has asked me to do a piece about finding good light.  I describe it as the “light that dances.”  And, this term goes well beyond just photography, it is at the heart of my philosophy, for I am made of the light that dances;  both in terms of science and in terms of my philosophical foundation.

What are the steps necessary to capture an image that we might be proud of?

Consider the following list:

1.  Time.  Here meaning not just the time of day but the date.  The date relates to the location.  If I want to do a landscape, do I want to do it in Winter or Spring?  What time is sunrise?  What time is sunset?  What time does the tide change?

2. Weather.  What is the forecast?  Will it affect where I want to be? How will weather affect my equipment? What special clothing will I require?

2.  Location.  Where do I want to go and why? Do I have maps and have I studied them?

3.  Logistics.  How do I get there?  Where will I stay?  What will I eat?  What will I expect in terms of travel arrangements?  What languages are spoken?  What gear will I need to take with me?  How long will I be there? How about my personal safety? What bookings must I make?  Will I require a guide?

4. Opportunity.  Will unexpected opportunities provide me with images? It is possible to anticipate opportunities?  What wildlife will be where I am going?  What are their behavioral habits?  Where are they likely to be?

5. Equipment.  What camera, what lenses, what special equipment will I need? What did I forget?

6. Perspective.  Do I know the area?  Have I scouted the area?  Do I know where the best spot is for capturing the image? What do I need to do to get the perspective right?

7. Post processing.  Do I have the tools to construct what my mind has seen and my camera has captured?

In sum, photography is about planning and execution.  It is about thinking.

Let’s consider a shot.

Here is a shot taken at Olympic National Park in Washington State, USA.  I won’t go into all the planning necessary for this trip, but assume that I went through the steps above.

Time. I wanted to be at the spot at sunrise or before.  I had scouted the area the day before, there were campers on the beach.  I needed to be there before they were awake, else I would have footprints in the sand and people all over the image.  I knew the tides would be low and I knew when the sun would rise and from which direction.

This meant that I had to get out of bed at 0400 hours, give up breakfast, drive for one and one half hours to a parking area, then walk for 30 minutes with all my equipment, then set up for shots.

I was rewarded with this image.

Now, let us consider another shot, this one is entirely different.  Yes, the planning steps were followed and getting to the spot was an adventure in itself.  The key elements here included time of day, tides, weather, and something else, the knowledge of my guide.

The shot of the bear also involved another key ingredient, that of opportunity and listening to others.  As Sarah Caldwell said: “Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can – there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did.” This shot would not have happened without my guide suggesting the night before that it was important for me to be on the beach at Lake Clark National Park early the next morning.

Here is another shot that fits the “opportunity” category.  It was very early in the morning, I was awaiting the arrival of my friends who were to transport me to a shooting location on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. I was standing outside the cottage where I was staying, and suddenly the scene before me told me to start shooting.  In other words, the light was here, where I was at that very moment.  It was an opportunity I could not pass by.

In other words, do not ever put off taking a photograph if the opportunity is there before you, the light will never be the same again.

Very much like what happened in this shot of a Red-billed Tropic Bird, photographed in the Galapagos Islands.  Here I was walking along a trail on one of the islands, my group was ahead of me and I noticed that the bird kept returning to a specific spot.  So, I stopped, told my guide I would catch up with the group, and waited until the bird returned.  What really made the shot was the angle and even light that was striking the bird in flight.

Sometimes we make our own opportunities as in this photograph taken at Zephyrhills, Florida.  Here I was fortunate that a good friend told me about a spot where Sandhill Cranes were gathering.  I knew exactly where to go and what time to be there.  Here both planning and opportunity came together because the early morning mist affected the wonderful pre-dawn light.

So, this whole business of doing photography is about planning and execution.

And please understand, one does not have to travel beyond one’s own neighborhood to find the light that dances.  It can occur in your backyard, in the eyes of someone you love, or just down the street on a morning walk.  For example, here is a shot I did with the Canon G10 in a local park.  It was an area I knew well and had passed by many times.  But on this morning, the light was special and I finally found the perspective that I had wanted to capture so many times before.

This photograph went on to win the Nature Scapes Net Landscape Image of the Week.  The photograph was the result of years of being at a particular spot in different light.  On this particular morning, it finally was right.  It is said that luck favors those who are prepared.  Yes, indeed.

In sum, preparation and planning are essential ingredients in doing photography.  Opportunities will occur and never pass them by, be prepared for the unexpected, and learn to look at the light.  It will speak to you if you listen.

And, BTW, if you love travel and photography, stop by Photo Travel Review.  In fact, write an article and submit it at the site, there are thousands of visitors who would love to hear your personal story.