Technique: Light

Mat Coker
Apr 6
2 min read

Updated: May 19

In photography, the use of light is a technique.

When you're in full control, you get to make whatever decisions you want—harsh light with crisp, deep shadows, or soft, diffused light. You might choose a warm glow or a cooler tone; there are all kinds of decisions to make with light and shadow.

Working With Whatever Nature Gives You

When I'm out photographing trail runners on a circuit, I don’t have that control. I have to take whatever I’m given, whether it's total darkness with harsh headlamps, a cloudy day with soft, diffused light, or warm sunlight filtering through the trees. I just take what I can get and make the best of it.

The Complex Challenge of Aligning Multiple Elements

That means I’m trying to position myself for a strong landscape background while also capturing the runner at their best. At the same time, I’m working to use the available light in a way that enhances the whole scene. Getting all three to align is difficult, but I work for it—and more often than not, I make it happen.

The Magic of Golden Hour Light

One of my favourite types of light happens during golden hour, the last hour before sunset. This is when soft, warm sunlight filters into the forest. I love getting the sun in the background, but at the very least, I want to make use of that light.

How often does that happen on race day? Not very often. Races usually take place well before golden hour, and even when they don’t, it’s often overcast or the woods are too dense for the sunlight to break through.

A Perfect Golden Hour Race Experience

But at one particular race—the Happy Hour Trail Race hosted by Dirty Souls Trail Running at Sugarbush Wineries in Prince Edward County—we had near-perfect golden hour light. I was able to consistently position myself so the runners were backlit. That backlighting gave them a subtle, glowing edge.

The Technique of Shooting Into the Light

Instead of photographing scenes with sunlight hitting them directly, I’m usually on the shadow side of the landscape or the runner. I’m shooting into the light rather than with it. That’s what gives everything that soft, golden glow.

Why Golden Hour Isn’t Typical Sports Photography

This isn’t what I’d typically consider ideal light for sports photography. When we think of sports, we tend to imagine something more dramatic—harsh light, deep shadows, something with an edge. Not violent, exactly, but something that leans more toward power than beauty.

When Golden Hour Light Perfectly Matches the Event

But for a happy hour run at a winery during golden hour, it fits perfectly. There’s a natural romance to the setting, and it’s less about competition and more about community. People might chase personal bests, but it’s just as much about running with friends and enjoying something like a Mr. Freezy or a glass of wine afterward.