Cloudy vs. Sunny: Photographer Investigates How Light Affects a Photo
A photographer has investigated how light and the weather affects a photo by shooting the same location twice — once when it’s sunny and once when it’s cloudy.
Dan Ginn is from the U.K., a country notorious for its grey weather. But sunny days do sometimes occur and Ginn tells PetaPixel he wanted to show viewers how light “greatly impacts” the way people see the world.
“I’m originally from Leeds, England, which isn’t exactly known for its vibrancy. Yet, on bright, sunny days the city comes alive and you begin to see things you may not notice on its more traditional dark, gray, gloomy days,” he says.
Ginn shot a total of 12 locations in dull and bright light, he invites the viewer to see how they feel when viewing the differing tones.
“While I like both sets of images, it’s clear that bright sunlight makes a location seem more inviting,” he says.
“If I am shooting a bit of street mixed with the landscape of a city, certainly when the Sun is out. I am really into vibrant colors, and as we all know, sunshine and a clear sky are fantastic for making those colors pop.”
Ginn says that he got the idea for the project on a day when the rain was coming down hard.
“Once or twice a week, I make an effort to sit without distractions (cell, laptop, etc.) and only be with my thought,” he explains. “The idea to make a contrasting photo of the same location came to mind.”
Ginn says the project has rekindled his love for his home city of Leeds, an often overlooked metropolitan area in northern England after he spent the last five years traveling the world.
“Since then even on gloomy days, I have a love for the city and all that it has to offer — I just needed the sunshine to help me see it,” he says.
“This is not unique to the north of England either. Plenty of places around the world lose credibility because of miserable weather conditions. However, every city has a pulse, so I encourage others to look closer and take advantage of the good days.”
More of Ginn’s work can be found on his website.
Image credits: All photos by Dan Ginn.
