The most crucial element of photography isn’t the equipment – regardless of how expensive or fancy – but it’s actually light. Surprised? Well, here’s why…

Light is far more than simply being dark or bright. It’s a whole range of delicate tones. How light falls on the subject, how we pull detail from the shadows and highlights – these are crucial in making the subject come alive.

The direction of light can completely change the mood of an image. Front light often highlights details and colours but can feel quite flat, while side light creates texture and adds depth. Backlight adds a sense of dimension, creating a beautiful glow around the subject. It’s perfect for highlighting textures like hair or fabric and can evoke a soft, ethereal, almost magical feel.

Then there’s the quality of light – soft and diffused light wraps around a subject gently, while harsh light creates strong contrast and drama. Moving the subject closer to or further from the light source affects the contrast levels. Learning to read and manipulate light allows you to control the emotion and narrative of your photo.

Light also has colour. Warm golden tones during sunrise or sunset evoke a sense of warmth and intimacy, while cooler tones on a cloudy day create a more moody, introspective feel. Understanding how different light temperatures impact the mood helps to enhance the story you’re telling.

Natural and artificial light both have their strengths. Natural light offers beautiful, dynamic changes throughout the day, while artificial light gives you complete control. Knowing when to use each – or how to blend the two – is where the magic happens.

After photographing our subjects, we often bring the images into editing software to make adjustments. While it might seem easy to brighten a dark image to create that light and airy feel, there’s more to it than simply sliding the exposure up.

To achieve that clean, bright look, the original shot needs to be well-exposed in-camera, with highlights preserved and not blown out. Over-brightening a dark image can distort the colours, often leaving skin tones looking unnatural and lacking the true-to-life warmth we aim for. The model can feel they don’t recognise themself.

There’s also a limit to how much an image can be adjusted while maintaining high quality. Pushing the exposure too far can introduce noise, reduce detail, and compromise the integrity of the photo. This is why I always advocate for getting it right in-camera, minimising the need for heavy corrections in post-production. Good editing enhances an image – it shouldn’t be relied on to ‘fix’ problems that could have been avoided at the time of capture.

In the end, mastering light is what sets a great image apart from a good one. It’s not about the camera – it’s about understanding how to see and shape the light that’s already there.

Want to dive deeper into using light effectively in your photos? Register your interest in my free guide on understanding light OR for my next workshop where I share practical tips and techniques to improve your shots