Turn Down The Lights: Low Light Landscapes

Dusk and Dawn Photography

Dawn and dusk have become two of my favorite times to photograph the landscape. There’s a five, sometimes ten, minute window that can be magical. The light is subtle and dependent upon the conditions on the opposite horizon. If an alpenglow occurs and the soft pink sky reflects onto your subject, it takes on a quality unlike anything else Mother Nature provides. It doesn’t have the wow factor of, “OMG” would you look at that, so it often goes unnoticed. It’s the trained and conditioned eye that finds and takes advantage of it. Learn its nuances and you’ll find the need to arrive at each location a bit earlier and stay a bit later than you’ve been used to.
 
Check the sunrise time of your destination on the internet, with a GPS, a smart phone, or any other source. Many photographers arrive at this time but you’ll find me set up and ready to make my first image thirty minutes before. The magic of dawn light actually begins about twenty to twenty five minutes prior to sunrise, but I’m a big proponent of being prepared and being early just in case something big happens. I set up my shot and watch the sky in all directions. If all goes well, a warm colored pastel tone begins to evolve. A pink tone is imparted to the landscape. Watch how this bounced color illuminates the different formations. As it does, capture the soft quality of light. When it disappears, the light will go flat until the sun starts to light up the landscape so be prepared for a lull in the action…

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