Try this: On a sunny day go outside and take a picture of some image on which there is both light and shadow.
Here's one I took during a plein air session. Either print the picture or view it from your camera. Hold it side by side against the subject and compare the two. Look for what the camera failed to capture.
Above is a small plein air study I did from the scene in the photo. As I was painting I noticed several things the photo failed to
capture:
- a slightly pinkish glow of light on the sunlit portion of the mountains,
- the variation in colors and values of the shadows on the mountain range,
- the variation in temperature on the field,
- the subtle variations in shadow of the frontal tree. (In the study, I deleted the group of trees sitting in the field.)
The most exciting thing that the photo totally missed was the movement of the light and its resulting changes in colors. I could feel a delightful adrenaline rush just trying to capture this.
If paint from photos you must, be sure and spend some time at least observing those things your photos cannot capture. Doing small color studies will feed you in a way you cannot imagine. You can access the archive of all my newsletters at anytime by going HERE. |
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