Golden Hour Visions: Madi Jones
I was really excited to shoot golden hour as an assignment. It was my favorite thing to do when I was younger. It was really nice to be able to do that again and relive that joy. When taking golden hour pictures there's really no right or wrong way to do it. There's no specific angle, or aperture to capture it, it's just so beautiful no matter where or how you capture it.
One of my favorite parts of this assignment was always being on the lookout for the sunset. Weather i'd be coming home from class or looking out my window, seeing the golden light was an automatic reminder to pull out my phone and take as many pictures as I could.
Shooting during the golden hour on an iPhone presented its own set of challenges. When I first began shooting for this assignment, I was waiting at a bus stop and so many trucks and cars were blocking my view, so I had to wait until all traffic was clear to capture my photo. The limitations of a smaller sensor and fixed lens were transformed into opportunities for creativity. Embracing the contrast of my images, I used the iPhone's ability to render vibrant colors and soft gradients, emphasizing the magical quality of the golden hour. The challenge of achieving a shallow depth of field was addressed by strategic composition, utilizing foreground elements to add depth and dimension.
Through this project, I gained profound insights into the impact of golden hour light. The iPhone, though compact, adeptly captured the warm tones, casting a spell on landscapes, textures, and even candid moments. The experience underscored the importance of timing and adaptability, reminding me that creativity knows no bounds, even within the confines of a mobile device.
