I teach light and shadow as a quintessential part of understanding good photography. It's about creating the illusion of three dimensions on a two dimensional surface. Another thing about light and shadow is it's ability to communicate drama to thee viewer. Dramatic contrast between blacks and whites in an image can product graphic images that draw the viewers interest. Many times looking for these graphic pieces in nature is an answer to creating interesting images at those times of the day when we are told are the light is bad for creating photographs. When I'm down in the rocky parts of southern Utah I'm drawn to the contrast of the light, almost white branches of the leafless cottonwood trees and the dark shadowed cliffs looming behind them. In the winter months the trees will catch the bright sun during the late morning or early afternoon, while the cliffs remain in the shadows. I encountered this last week while my friend and I drove through parts of Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal, Utah. The images you see here were created along the Green river as the light chanced angles while we were there. Understanding light and shadow and how you can use it to create photographs will make the difference in all of your images.

Feel free to comment on this discussion. Photography is a journey to me and I'm always willing to learn from others.

If you would like to know more about Ted York Photography click here.