Color of Light

From the instant the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, daylight is constantly shifting in color. While we may notice the particularly golden light of dawn or the inky blue light of twilight, our eyes and brain tend to neutralize the gradual color changes in between, making daylight appear colorless.

The color of daylight, however, has a profound effect on the atmosphere of a photograph, and knowing how it affects the emotional content of an image enables you to control the mood of your travel photos. A castle bathed in the cool blues and grays of twilight may seem mysterious or gloomy, even foreboding. The same castle splashed in the yellow and amber waves of early morning light appears to be safe or beckoning, summoning the reassuring memories of a favorite childhood fairy tale. Changes in daylight's color occur most rapidly—and are most dramatic—at the beginning and end of the day, so work quickly at these times if you want to capture a particular mood.

Tip: With zoom lenses you can get a novel special effect by changing focal lengths during an exposure. The result is a sharp central subject engulfed in a burst of light streaks.