Diffusion confusion…

 

Light’s a tricky thing. I don’t pretend to have mastered the art of understanding and previsualizing light correctly all the time, but then again, I am pretty sure that most photographers (even really talented ones) would actually admit to the same. And yet, some day I hope to understand light well enough so that I can consistently make smart decisions behind my camera, rather than blindly shoot and “hope for the best.” Sometimes, though, it still works out. This shot, an interior of the Chapel Royal inside the notorious Tower of London was admittedly one of those that I had little time to think about, so I simply metered and gave it my “best shot.”  The beautiful diffused light was pouring in the room, creating on the one hand, a gorgeous soft glow, and on the other hand, a challenging high-contrast atmosphere. Tough!  In the end, I metered for the beautiful ancient stonework, and hoped the window light wouldn’t totally blow out in the process. So, voila! Hope you enjoy…

f 4.5, 1/50th sec, ISO 800, 17mm