From the perspective of a professional photographer
I set myself a challenge in June 2026: to see natural daylight within an hour of waking and, ideally, again at lunchtime and at the end of the day, every single day. The early morning light needed to be seen without sunglasses to help set my circadian rhythm (avoiding looking into the sun directly). I also wanted to avoid LED lighting as much as possible, especially at the beginning and end of the day.
This sounds fairly easy in principle, but it took some significant changes to my routine. It’s far too easy to eat all your meals indoors, wake up and head straight to the gym or the office. My first change was to buy comfortable outdoor dining furniture and commit to eating outside unless it was unbearably hot or cold. I changed all my bulbs back to incandescent bulbs, put a nice lamp in my kitchen to avoid using the overhead lighting and bought a very warm, dim, yellow, non-flickering LED landing night light.
I also like to connect with the earth daily through open-water swimming, wakesurfing or simply walking in the park and touching trees. So, I shifted my routine to swim or walk just after breakfast. Some days, this means I’m at my local open-water swimming lake as early as 7 am, which is a lovely way to start the day.
(Note, I’ve always driven around with the sunroof fully open, regardless of the weather. It’s been one of my daylight hacks for years!)
We’re now in mid-autumn and it’s getting chilly. Some days, it’s too cold for breakfast outside, but I give myself grace as long as I connect with daylight and the earth directly after an indoor breakfast, through walking or swimming. The lake water is getting cold (10°C), but that doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I just change from swimming to dipping.
On the days when a work commitment means my daylight routine is disrupted, I really notice it. My body feels starved of something, and my alertness can be affected. I try my best to see light with the sunroof open, in the hope that it’s enough to help set my circadian clock.
One unexpected shift has occurred over the last few months: my sensitivity to light colour has become really apparent! Yes, as a professional photographer, I’m tuned into colour after more than 20 years of editing photos and studying it in detail. But what I mean is in day-to-day life. The harsh blue lights at the gym can feel unbearable some days. The colour of the light emitted by different cafés affects where I sit or which café I choose. The blue light emitted by the TV is also very noticeable (more noticeably in the evenings). Colour literally looks different to me.
Now, a quick lesson in colour temperature, a.k.a. Kelvin.
10,000 K is very blue, similar to the colour temperature of a clear blue sky (approximately). 7,000 K is a less intense blue, often associated with cloudy skies (approximately). 7,000 K is at the top end of the colour temperature range of some LED bulbs (they can go down to around 2,700 K). 6,500 K is at the top end of the colour temperature range of some fluorescent lights (they can also go down to around 2,700 K). 5,500 K is typical of direct sunlight (approximately). 3,000–4,000 K is warm white to yellowish light, similar to the light at sunrise and sunset (approximately). 2,700 K is warm orange, similar to the colour temperature of incandescent bulbs (approximately). 1,900 K is very red, similar to candlelight (approximately).
When we photographers take and edit photos, we choose and adjust the colour temperature. This is also known as white balance.
So why does this matter to non-photographers? It matters to all of us. Before artificial light, our circadian rhythms were naturally exposed to changing light throughout the day, from the warmer light of sunrise and sunset to the brighter, bluer light of daytime. The morning light helps trigger cortisol (the hormone that helps wake us up), while the evening light helps induce melatonin (the hormone that helps us sleep). By missing these daylight cues, we may be denying our bodies their natural wake/sleep signals. How much light we need depends on the time of day, how much light we have already received, its intensity and its spectral composition (the range of colours and wavelengths present).
I feel that, at this point, we need to delve into infrared radiation, visible daylight and UV radiation. Infrared radiation is felt as heat, visible light is what our eyes see, and UV (ultraviolet) radiation consists of electromagnetic rays that can cause skin tanning and burning. We need to understand all three and be sensible about our exposure.
I’ve read about the benefits of infrared radiation (infrared is in higher proportion to UV at sunrise and sunet). Sunlight contains infrared radiation, and its proportion can vary depending on the time of day, the sun’s angle and atmospheric conditions. Some research suggests that certain wavelengths of infrared and near-infrared light may help support cellular energy processes, including ATP production in the mitochondria. Some wavelengths can penetrate the skin, and their effects are an area of ongoing research. Other proposed benefits include reducing oxidative stress, improving mood and reducing inflammation. There are also claims relating to vision and cardiovascular function, although these need further research before they can be considered established benefits. (All of this is based on my reading on the subject; I have not independently checked all the studies, and please remember that I am a photographer, not a doctor.)
The benefits of UV radiation (primarily UVA and UVB), which is more prevalent during the middle of the day, are as follows. UVB helps promote vitamin D production, which plays an important role in immune function. However, UV exposure also carries risks. In excess, we can burn. Sunburn is never good and, as we all know, excessive UV exposure can cause skin cancer.
UVA may lower blood pressure through the release of nitric oxide. This is an area of ongoing research, and although there may be potential benefits, excessive UVA exposure can cause oxidative stress and increase skin damage. (Once again, this is not official medical advice.)
Visible light helps us see the world in terms of brightness and colour. It can also influence our mood and circadian rhythms, partly through its effects on serotonin and other biological processes.
I mentioned earlier how light – for me, that means how bright it is and its colour – affects my choices, such as which café I choose and where I sit, whether indoors or outside. This leads me to talk about lux. Lux helps me make these decisions.
So, I need to explain lux, lumens and watts!
Lux (lx) is a measurement of how much light falls on a surface (that surface could be your face, for example). The lux level decreases as you move further away from the light source.
Lumens (lm) measure the total light output in all directions.
Watts (W) describe the power consumption of a bulb, not its brightness.
The lux level in direct sunlight can be up to 100,000 lx. A cloudy day or shaded area can be around 10,000–25,000 lx, while a very gloomy day might provide about 1,000 lx. Sunrise can be around 300–500 lx.
If we look at lux levels indoors, the numbers are very different. Next to a bright window, lux levels can be anything from 300 to 2,000 lx. Once you move away from the windows, they drop to around 100–200 lx. A bedroom is often around 50 lx, whereas candles provide around 1–10 lx. I’ve read that keeping light levels to 1–3 lx overnight is a good goal to avoid disrupting sleep.
You can download free lux meter apps on your phone or use a proper device!
So, when I’m in a café, I try my best to sit close to a window. If this isn’t possible, I’ll try to avoid direct LED lighting (especially overhead lighting early in the day). A cosy corner next to a low-level lamp is also acceptable. It depends on the time of day and how I’m feeling.
Why do I dislike LED bulbs so much? Some can flicker; they may have an invisible, rapid pulse that can affect some people’s comfort and visual experience. They also often emit blue light, which can suppress melatonin production (we need this for sleep). The amount of blue light emitted varies depending on the LED’s colour temperature. There are also discussions about the potential biological effects of different light wavelengths, but there isn’t convincing evidence that ordinary household LED lighting damages our cellular mitochondria because it lacks red wavelengths (but I am keeping an eye on this as I am hearing whispers to contrary). I know LEDs are cheaper to run, but personally, I just don’t think they are worth the cost saving. I only have one LED bulb in my house (non-flickering and orange-coloured) because I couldn’t find a reliable night light that wasn’t LED.
Angles of light matter, too. When inside, I try to match my lighting to the angle of the sun at that time of day. At the beginning and end of the day, eye-level lamp light is my go-to choice because the sun is closer to eye level then. In the middle of the day, I don’t mind bright overhead lighting quite as much because it mimics the sun’s angle when it is high in the sky.
Have you ever noticed how uncomfortable your eyes feel at someone’s house when they use ‘the big overhead light’ in the evenings? I find myself wearing a cap in those situations, as I find it more relaxing for my eyes. And very bright overhead LED bathroom lights when you first wake up are horrible, right?
The benefits of true darkness are also worth considering, and I don’t think this is discussed quite as much. Darkness promotes melatonin production, which we need for sleep. Melatonin also has antioxidant properties and is involved in biological processes associated with cellular protection and repair. Darkness supports your circadian rhythm, which in turn helps regulate various bodily processes, including inflammation and mood. Darkness could be a whole other article!
So, I’ll leave you with two things to consider:
Can I alter the lighting inside my home and my working environment?
Can I shape my day to see daylight at least three times, for ten minutes at a time (especially within an hour of waking)?
My job as a photographer, in simple terms, is to look at light and colour and make things look fantastic for my clients, whatever the conditions I am working in that day. I hope you enjoyed this article!
