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Photography vocabulary · Light & Lighting

Natural light

Meaning in photography, with examples

/ˌnætʃərəl ˈlaɪt/nounCore term

In photography, natural light means: Light that comes from the sun or the sky, including light through a window, rather than from flashes or lamps.

In Turkish: doğal ışık, gün ışığı, mevcut ışık

How it is used

Many portrait, wedding and food photographers call themselves natural light photographers. You work with, shoot in or use natural light; window light is a popular kind. Available light is a wider term for any light already present at the scene.

Example sentences

  1. We'll shoot the menu by the big window to use the natural light.

  2. Natural light changes fast in the evening, so be ready before sunset.

Common collocations

  • soft natural light
  • window light
  • shoot in natural light
  • natural light photographer
  • golden hourThe short period just after sunrise and just before sunset, when the sun is low and its light is soft and warm.
  • soft lightLight from a large or diffused source, such as a cloudy sky, a window or a softbox, that creates gentle shadows and smooth transitions.
  • hard lightLight from a small or distant source, such as the midday sun or a bare flash, that creates sharp-edged shadows and strong contrast.
  • reflectorA flat, usually foldable surface in white, silver or gold that bounces light back onto the subject to fill in shadows.
  • backlightLight that comes from behind the subject, toward the camera. It can create a glowing outline, a silhouette or lens flare.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Light & Lighting

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