Photography cheat sheet: What is directional light?

Photographer with tripod on rocks looking at the sky at sunset above lake Limmernsee, Canton of Glarus, Switzerland
(Image credit: Roberto Moiola / Sysaworld via Getty Images)

It's common to hear of landscape photographers waking up early to get the softest and most flattering light, and photographing during the golden hour is one way to ensure attractive scenes. But the position of the sun also has a significant say on the end result of your images.

Whether you're using one of the best low-light cameras or a camera for beginners, the direction of light hitting the subject affects your image just as much as the quality does. Shoot with the sun behind you and you'll see a very different result to one where it's to the side of you, or directly ahead of you. 

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Matt Golowczynski

The former editor of Digital Camera World, "Matt G" has spent the bulk of his career working in or reporting on the photographic industry. For two and a half years he worked in the trade side of the business with Jessops and Wex, serving as content marketing manager for the latter. 


Switching streams he also spent five years as a journalist, where he served as technical writer and technical editor for What Digital Camera before joining DCW, taking on assignments as a freelance writer and photographer in his own right. He currently works for SmartFrame, a specialist in image-streaming technology and protection.