Ambient Light: A Natural Luminosity

Many of history's greatest photographs and film shots have relied on interesting ambient light. Unusual lighting can turn an otherwise ordinary shot into something very powerful.

Ambient light is found light that surrounds you and is already present in a scene. Sometimes referred to as “natural light” or “existing light,” ambient light can be the found inside a home, a restaurant or concert hall, or a bright, sunny day, a deep foggy day, a city at night…in other words, any kind of pre-existing light. This is found light, not additional light that you, the photographer, might choose to add, such as flash.