Keep the subject simple
Set an ordinary object near a window and clear a little space around it. Turn off nearby lamps so mixed colors do not distract from the exercise. Choose a time when the light is relatively steady.
Change the direction
Make one image facing the window, one with the window to the side, and one with the window behind the subject. Keep your framing similar. Notice how the visible texture and shadow edges change as the direction of light changes.
Watch the background
A bright window can become the dominant shape in a photograph. Try shifting your position until the subject sits against a quieter background. If you change exposure, do it deliberately and compare the result with the previous frame.
Keep a visual notebook
Save the three images together and note the time of day and your position. Repeat the exercise on another day. The point is not to discover one ideal setup, but to build a memory of how light behaves in a familiar space.
Keep a few variables steady
Place the object on the same surface and compare photographs made close together in time. Use a familiar camera mode and note any setting you deliberately change. If your device automatically brightens one frame, include that observation rather than assuming all visible differences came from the window.
Try a second round with the object a little farther from the window. Watch the whole photograph, including the background. You are gathering visual examples, not trying to prove a universal formula from a handful of pictures.
Look at shadow edges
Describe the shadow in ordinary language: broad, faint, sharply edged, or nearly absent. Note whether it makes the object’s surface easier to read. A smooth mug and a textured cloth may respond differently in the same arrangement.
Choose the version that suits your intention. If the picture is about texture, the useful light may differ from the light you prefer for a simple silhouette.
Save a repeatable setup note
Write down where the object and camera were, roughly when you worked, and the visible weather conditions. A quick sketch of the arrangement can be more useful than a long technical description. Return to it later and observe what changes. Continue with a color study when you want to focus on the relationship between light, subject, and surroundings.