Using NATURAL light

I have always been a huge supporter/subsriber to natural window light.
It is not always as easy as one might imagine, but it just takes some getting used to.
Photographer talk about how you have to have balanced light, fill flash, reflectors and so on. but in my opinion such a practice introduces an unnatural flatness, an almost lifeless perfection to the subject.
Ok so before all you advertising and portrait geeks go off and get your pants all in a wad... consider this.
It is about individual and subjective interpretation of a subject.
I will be teh first to agree that thee are many situations, where controlled lighting and subject environement is essential, but there are also times, and places, where you just have to step outside the box and create according to what is in your heart.
Shelby is a model whom I just love to work with. She is also a photographer as well as a model. And so she can fall into the role, once I explain to her what I want to do.
In this case... as follows.. I used a D80 with 400 ISO setting, in cam BW with a green filter and natural window light.


View attachment 5901

Of course... using window light can work both ways... by shooting into it, and by moving camera and subject about, to get the result you need

I like the second one....very artsy and yes I am a fan, huge one, of natural light...I like the extra challenge

i love your b & w with natural light. it really is the depth we all strive for as photographers. i really detest a flash, and will use natural light whenever i can. i really think a flash photo looks just like any other photo on any other joe schmoe's camera. one day i will invest in a speedlight and maybe my opinion will change, but until then, i'm going au naturale!

Iman60, can you tell us more about how to use natural light? a
window, indoors - great, but what about outdoors? Should we really stick to the "golden hours" or not? I've had some trouble with people standing under trees, with faces partly in the sun, partly in shadow. Please, tell us more about your experience with natural light.

Ok RL... I have pondered the bejeeze out of this. What I can tell you is that outdoors... the BEST natural light is a cloudy day.
Stepping outside the golden hours as we call it is not good ... in my experience, if you are relying on natural light.
You can combat the stronger sunlight by using flash... fill flash... even a reflector if you dont have flash.
The thing is I dont photograph people outdoors much at all. When I do, I tend to use a flash, tho I can't say I have have been very sucessful with flash. I tend to be very creative like shooting into teh early morning sun or using open shade.
It is a matter of studying the light on your subject's face... moving them... or yourself and paying attention to just how much light, or lack of it, is illuminating your subject. I hope this is of help to you?