Tip of the Day: Shadow of a Doubt

With light comes shadow, and there are several ways to avoid—or include—it in your photos. Here are a few:

•    Shooting a landscape late in the day? With your back to the sun, chances are your shadow will end up in the frame. If you can’t come back at another time of day, try moving and shooting at a different angle.

•    When an object casts an unwanted shadow, wait for a cloud to cover the sun. Or zoom in over the shadow—best when there’s a lot of foreground area.

•     Try mixing shadows and sun. Some scenes benefit from dappled sunlight. (This might confuse your lightmeter, so be sure to bracket your shots.)

•    Make a shadow your subject. It works well when you get an interesting shape on an uncluttered background. Look on a clear day just after dawn and before dusk, when shadows are long.

ADAPTED FROM 101 QUICK AND EASY SECRETS TO CREATE WINNING PHOTOGRAPHS BY MATTHEW BAMBERG (COURSE TECHNOLOGY, 2009; $30)