Fall is my favorite season, especially after a hot summer like the one this year.  I enjoy the cool, crisp mornings, the leaves changing color, the anticipation of the holiday season.  We go outside more, ride our bikes more, and walk more.

Another thing I really enjoy about the fall is how the sun shines through the windows of our house at different times during the day.  (It does this in summer, of course, but sunlight in the house in the summer means more heat so it's not so fun.  Plus, the angle of the sun is different in the different seasons, so the quality of light changes.) 

During the fall, I notice how the sunlight comes through the master bathroom window, which is just above our tub.  It is most beautiful in the early to mid-afternoon.  I walk in that room and can feel my whole body relax because of the beautiful light.  I've even used this light to practice photographing objects on the windowsill in there.

And then there is the late afternoon light coming through the front door and creeping down the stairs as the sun goes down.  It casts shadows on the entry way wall.  And it just plain makes me happy.

Maybe this sounds like crazy talk but noticing this kind of light is incredibly important in photography.  After a while, you get an intuitive sense of where to stand in relation to your subject because of the light.  Or where to place your subject.  Or what time of day to photograph them.  Because when the light is that beautiful, most people relax and feel good.  There is no squinting or harsh shadows.  There is a peacefulness that accompanies that beautiful light.

One great assignment is for you to notice the light in your house at different times of the day.  Think about how it makes you feel, what the shadows look like, how it illuminates different objects.  Photograph the objects or people in the different light.  Practice by observing over time and will become engrained.

I hope this helps!  Thanks so much for reading.

Dawn