What does the photographer mean by saying that the light in the photo should be soft?

Is it necessary for landscape photography to have direct sunlight? Actually, not necessarily. We often get up early and get greedy for the dark, but it is to capture the most "exquisite" color. In other words, when we are talking about the golden age, there is no direct sunlight in these pictures. What we capture and emphasize is the "exquisite" color on the horizon.

Before sunrise and shortly after sunset, when we face the sun, clouds and fog on the horizon are illuminated and reflected by sunlight below the horizon. At this time, the overall contrast of the picture is small, the saturation is good, and the color distribution is balanced, which brings quiet color and feeling to the horizon and forms the tone of the whole picture.

Especially when shooting by the water, this subtle color, combined with the reflection and reflection of water, further expands the beauty in the picture and makes the picture more magnificent.

It may be a little difficult to shoot this delicate color, and you have to get up early and be greedy for the dark. But happiness will make us forget our hard work and gain a lot.