So funny, but so very true too!

Ciaran gives a good breakdown of what to be aware of. What he says can be summed up in two words. "Quantity" and "Quality". If you constantly think about these two factors in relation to your lighting, it will help in determining how to make the most of a given situation.

The discussion so far seems to be in relation to outdoor lighting. Of course, it's all applicable to indoor and/or studio lighting as well, except that studio photographers have it really easy because they have total control of the light. Of course this control only comes once you understand the basics of quantity and quality. Sadly, far too many studio photographers set up two lights at 45° left and right of the subject and blast the subject with light, totally ruiing the image in the process.

And once you understand quality and quantity and how they interact and how to control them, you can have the same control of light outdoors as you can in the studio.

I would like to add, that WB can also be important in fashion images where you are trying to illustrate and accurate representation of the garments colours. I would further caution against the use of a regular grey card in making white balance adjustments because most grey cards that are designed for exposure measurement suffer from metamerism (this is where the card can be a neutral 18% grey under one light source, but is no longer neutral under a different light source.)

Whilst the Expodisc is a great tool, I favour the WhiBal card. It's quick and easy to use and you don't have to constantly turn around to face the light source. I tend to use it during each change of scene, right before and right after a run of shots, then it's a simple matter of using the WhiBal image as a White Balance reference shot when converting my raw images.

I agree entirely with Phoenix's comment. 

 I am always thinking about the light, its strength, quality and direction.  My stuff is landscape so I can't manipulate it like a studio light so i have to take all these things into consideration and play the waiting game if necessary, even down to whether my polariser filter will work and what angle I am standing at to the sun etc.  The great thing about landscapes photography though is each day is different and so is the light which keeps it fresh and challenging.

Good thread. I had a pretty sharp learning experience with Kira (Raveness) when we shot in Crosshaven on a burning hot day mostly at the Royal Cork yacht Club. The sun was so strong her eyes were watering and of course the contrast was fierce. The best shots of the day were taken a bit up the road at Fort Camden where, although you can't get into the fort, there's a great access road in a cutting, so out of direct sunlight.

There's a studio lighting workshop at pineapple studios @ John Sheehan photography in Togher, Cork on 5 July. E150 for the day inc a model session in the afternoon. I'm going anyway....

Jim

Let us know how the course goes. Jessica Jones of Pineapple Studios was in touch with me to see if I could recomend any experienced local models for this. Fortunately she has since succeeded in finding someone hereself as I was unable to help her out.

- Thorsten.