Found light vs created light

Photography is about three things, light, timing, and timing of light. Today I will touch briefly on light. I feel that I can break down light into two categories, found light, and created light.  I love found light.  I recently shot a dress rehearsal for the Omaha Fringe Festival.

Tim Barr performs a piece called Carnival during a tech rehearsal for the Omaha Fringe Festival.

They asked if turning up the house lights would make my job easier.  I get that a lot, where people would offer to change the light trying to help.

In most cases, their well-meaning attempts to make my life easier.  I told the people at the Fringe Festival that they were set up for theater lighting and it would be perfect.  While it can be intimidating for some. I love working with that kind of dynamic lighting. 

Arkansas' Kacey Murphy throws a pitch in the third inning during the College World Series.

The lighting situation that does make me uncomfortable is when I have to create my own lighting.  As a journalist, I have always felt something akin to Star Trek’s Prime Directive in those situations.

For this photo, I didn't ask these hops farmers to sniff their hops, they just got bored and starting doing that while waiting for me to set up.

One does not interfere with the scene you are documenting.  So portraits and creating the lighting has always felt wrong, even though I know it is entirely acceptable among journalism (if appropriately captioned). I would rate myself towards the bottom in portrait talent among my current coworkers.  That might speak more to their overwhelming talent than a lack of mine.

Bloomfield's Quinten Moles poses for a portrait at the abandoned ski lift at Devil’s Nest next to Lewis & Clark Lake.