When I posted this photo on Flickr I received a comment that said “I have stood at that spot and didn’t imagine the possibilities.” Well I have to say that I too have stood in this same spot before and I always thought it had possibilities but what was thought and what the outcome was never matched up until this day. You maybe asking yourself “what was the difference” or by the title of this blog you have already figured it out. Yes, Luminosity was the difference maker. We are not just talking about light or lighting, this is luminosity. The strength of light, the direction of light, the way light reflects to create the scene basically the way the scene is illuminated. I have read many an article about luminosity but never really gave it a thought until I started black and white photography. I also have to say, I have read about it but it never really caught on until I got out there and experienced it. Call it trial by fire or on the job training but experience is the best teacher.
There was a lot of things that went right for these buildings to illuminate the way they did and as I learn more and more about photography (my own experiences and others that I read) I understand what a crucial role light/luminosity can make in my photography.
The luminosity of this scene is created by:
A previous day of rain: Los Angeles is notorious for overcast mornings, overcast mornings create a defused sun, which is beneficial in some cases and not to much in others. With this composition the previous days rain cooled the morning and drastically reduced the early morning clouds and smog which create the ample lighting I needed.
Winter Sunrise: Basically, the sun rises and has a different trajectory in different seasons. In this case the sun rose far enough to the southeast that when the sun bridged the horizon it hit the windows of the east facing building and created the Luminosity that gave the contrast I wanted and the entire illumination of the scene. It also was strong enough to throw some secondary light on the front face of both buildings. With other seasons the sun rises behind the other buildings which throws a shadow over the entire scene and no matter how much you over expose your photo you just don’t have the gradients that are naturally caused by a better angle of the sun.
Time of Day: This is shot early morning on a Saturday and sometimes I am here on Sunday for many reasons. No traffic (This was shot in the middle of the street, do you ever notice that some of the best compositions are from the middle of the street?) Minor to know parking restrictions (Sundays are the best for parking on the street with all the meters and time limits to park). Lacks security, I am not saying they don’t exist but with less people walking around and many stores closed the city is quieter and security doesn’t hover. Mornings or sunsets give you a lower angle of the sun which gives you more side lighting and create shadows that you can’t get in midday. Which in turn gives you texture and depth in your composition.
All of the above factors created this scene and usually many others. So the question is this:
Do you notice: Time of day, angle of the sun, season changes and how that changes your illumination, freedom to roam without as many restrictions so you can get to areas that otherwise might be closed off or where you would get run over? Cloud movement and wind intensity and angle?
Do you revisit previously shot areas in different seasons?
Are you shooting in early morning sunrises or early evening sunsets to eliminate harsh lighting that leaves a scene flat?
Are you constantly questioning your good compositions and how you got them and your bad compositions and how you could have made them better?
Back to the original title:
Luminosity created the possibilities and the vision to reality. I have taken many a photo from this exact spot and without this type of luminosity all others failed and went into the trash. I am learning, all be it slowly but the learning curve is still bending upwards.
Click to Enlarge: Orginal/During/Final Image below:
