One thing I really like to study in nature is how the light plays across the land. I’m not sure why that interests me, but certain lights evoke certain feelings in me. So does interior lighting, but that’s another story.
I like to describe sunrises and sunsets, probably because they are so dramatic and provide great backdrops for intense parts of my writing.
Become attuned to how sunlight looks in a variety of weather situations so you have a lot of examples to pull from. If you write fiction, you can use your real-world experiences to select the best light for your action. Challenge yourself to write about the difference between a sunny day that is humid, a sunny day that is crisp and cool, and a sunny day that is freezing.
Some of the most beautiful sunsets I have seen are when there is heavy cloud cover everywhere, except on the western horizon. The light of the setting sun is funneled by the cloud cover, creating narrow bands of intense, almost garish, illumination and deep shadows where the light can’t reach. Those conditions don’t happen often, which may be why I enjoy it so much.
I like to try to capture the light on film, and below are some of my attempts. But the photos still aren’t as good as the real thing.
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