The last two week’s STL articles may have come as a bit of a shock to you.

Full sunlight quality? What?

Did you know there are SIX different qualities of light you need to be aware of for photography? Each one requires different rules. Rules I created to dictate how to shoot consistently in ALL SIX qualities of light to produce similar results.

In business, consistency is key.

Our clients and consumers want to know they can rely on us to provide the same product or service no matter what. When you go to Starbucks, you want that signature Starbucks flavor. When you arrive at your hairstylist you expect her to be able to replicate a hairstyle you saw on her page. No matter what your business sells, this trust in consistency starts with the imagery they see on our social media and websites.

Whether they realize it or not, our consumers are looking for consistency. Consistent = trustworthy. Whether you are a photographer or not, if you are taking photos for your social media or website, you need to be able to create them consistently. If you are a hairstylist taking photos of your updos or a florist taking photos of your arrangements, you’re in the same boat as photographers on a session. You need to have consistent imagery for your social media feeds and website.

Some business owners in the wedding industry rely on the professional photographer from the wedding day to send them their professional photos. The problems with that are: #1 many photographers forget or only send the photos to the venue and it takes a ton of your time to track them down to request the photos, #2 some don’t share their photos freely, and #3 they all have a different visual signature to their photos making your feed look inconsistent. Some a light and airy. Some are dark and moody. Some are in between with bright and sharp. And, some are just novice photographers and the quality is low.

If you are taking the photos yourself with your phone camera or personal camera, sometimes you are taking those photos on location. Sometimes you are taking photos of your creations inside in your studio.

So, how do we create photos ourselves with consistency when we have no control over the weather or location? We follow the rules…starting by learning to identify the different qualities of light you may have to work in. Once you start mindfully recognizing that you are, indeed, taking pictures in different lighting, you can start making more informed decisions from there.

Here are the 6 different qualities of light you might find yourself photographing your work or clients in:

Full

Full sunlight quality is when the sun is out in full force. The sky is blue and bright. There might be clouds in the sky but they are not covering the sun. There are dark, well-defined shadows on the ground.

Diffused

Diffused light quality is when there is a hazy film of clouds covering the sun diffusing its intensity. It is still bright and the sun is still visible. There are some light shadows on the ground but it doesn’t feel overpowering.

Covered

Covered Light Quality is when there are thick clouds covering the sun so that it is not visible. There are no obvious shadows on the ground. It feels dark and dreary. The clouds may not be covering the entire sky but they are covering the sun fully.

Rain/Snow

The same as covered but there is actual precipitation coming out of the sky in addition to the thick cloud cover.

Fog

You are IN the cloud. The sun is not visible. There are no shadows on the ground and visibility is low.

Indoor

Any time you are taking pictures inside a building and not outdoors.

The first step to taking more consistent photos is to recognize these six qualities of light and start to notice how the shadows are different in each situation.

For the next week, every time you walk outside, I want you to ask yourself: what is the quality of light right now?

Next week we will dig in a little deeper.

The 6 Qualities of Light