It

I never could put my finger on it until the other day. It was always something I struggled with using. I never knew exactly how to master it. I couldn't figure out what to do with it. It was everywhere. In everything that I saw, it was there. It was an integral part of my work, as well as others'.

By now, you're probably wondering: What the heck is it?

The answer: light.

You see, as a designer, photographer, and videographer --- light is the "glue" that holds everything together. Light effects colors in a print job. If you view a piece under an incandescent bulb, and then view that same piece under a fluorescent bulb, it will look different. Why? Light.

In photography, lighting is essential. Not only does it matter how you light the subject, which direction the light is coming from, or even if the light is "hard" or "soft"; without light, there would be no photography. You cannot take a picture (unless you're taking a picture of, well, nothing) without a light source.

The same is true for videography. Lighting effects the look and feel of your movie. If you use the right lighting, you can pull off all kinds of effects. You can make it look like 10 o'clock at night when in reality you're filming at noon. This is only a small example of what light can do for you.

So what is it in your trade, business, or profession? What is essential? Study it, master it, and take control of it.