Light on a Dull Day
I’m a horror writer, which is probably why this scene appeals to me.
Dull, overcast. A bit of haze softening the distance. Loads of atmosphere. This is a scene I’d always photograph. But in black and white.
Look at that dark shadow on the slipway. I could lighten it. Bring out a bit more detail. But I like it how it is. That big dark shape against the brighter water, with the shoreline fading away behind it.
All those dark shapes — that’s where the atmosphere comes from.
To me.
That’s the thing about photos on dull days. A lot of folk would put their cameras away. Not me. Flip to black and white. Load a roll of black-and-white film. Whatever you’re using, look for the shifts between light and dark.
They’re there. Even when the sky looks like it’s doing nothing.
There’s a thing called “exposing for the highlights”. I don’t want to get all technical. Basically, you’re keeping detail in the bright bits rather than trying to brighten every dark corner.
For this picture, I wanted those darks proper dark.
You can adjust the exposure on an iPhone without much fuss. Tap to set the focus, then drag up or down beside the little sun. Up to lighten the picture. Down to darken it. Press and hold until AE/AF Lock appears if you want to lock the focus and exposure.
That’s enough camera talk.
The point is what you want the picture to feel like. I didn’t want to open up every shadow. I wanted that darkness. It’s what caught my eye.
Same instinct as writing horror, I suppose. I don’t always want to show you everything that’s there.
So don’t let the weather put you off. There are photos waiting.
Go and get them.