Inspiration

Shooting in Harsh Light

For the Love of Photography
Posted on 02/11/2019

In this series of posts that go under the name "For the Love of Photography" we share tips, ideas, and inspiration from the photography world. We hope it will help inspire you to go out and shoot more.


 

It’s natural for many photographers to have a preferred time of day to shoot. While some live for the dewy haze of sunrise, others can’t seem to get enough of the dramatic dusky glow of sunset. So whichever end of the spectrum you might fall on, it’s generally a popular opinion that scheduling shoots as close to the sunrise or sunset as possible is a surefire way to take advantage of the day’s most flattering and easy-to-work-with light. They do call it ‘golden hour’ for a reason, after all.

Maybe you’re familiar with the brief moment of panic that occurs when a client requests an outdoor photo session at midday. Harsh sunlight and stark shadows can evoke fear in even the most seasoned photographers. But it doesn’t have to be that way. 

Here are five tips to help you make the most of your next photoshoot and prevent those midday-sun jitters. 

Find Open, Even Shade

When the sun is at its highest and you are not used to shooting in full sun, shade can, of course, be your best friend. While finding shade is not always an option depending upon your location, many spots do have shaded areas if you’re willing to look for them and get a bit creative. Wooded paths surrounding open fields, tall buildings casting large shadows over city streets, architectural details in parks…the possibilities are endless. It’s important to make sure that you find the most even shade possible in order to prevent shadows or unflattering speckled light. When in doubt, head for the shade!

Try Backlighting

When full shade is not an option or if you’re just looking to push yourself and your skills a bit, backlighting can be a great way to work with the sun instead of against it. By placing your subjects directly in front of the sun, backlighting gives you the ability to create dreamy, golden backdrops and some stand-out images (if done correctly). In order to avoid overexposed photos or blown out highlights, try to expose for your subject’s face, and don’t shy away from using a reflector or fill flash if necessary. Backlighting is also a fun chance to play with more candid images as opposed to stiffer portraits; by creating movement in your photos, the less-than-flattering light is usually less noticeable (and oftentimes adds to the story you are trying to tell, anyways). 

Get Familiar with your Camera

When shooting with the bright sun out in full force, manual mode is likely your best bet. By taking the time to familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of your camera, you’ll be miles ahead in knowing how to shoot in virtually any lighting scenario. Spend a few hours out with your camera in different places at different times of day, and figure out which settings work and which ones definitely don’t work. While the specifics of your ideal camera settings for harsh sunlight largely depends on the overall imagery you are seeking to create, we’d suggest starting out by trying a lower ISO, higher shutter speed, and wider aperture in order to soften the light and create some dynamic photos (just be careful and watch your focus!). 

Embrace the Challenge

Some truly incredible, inspiring art comes from simply embracing whatever harsh lighting conditions come your way and using these so-called disadvantages to your advantage instead. Play with the deeply contrasting lines that shadows create, seek out some really interesting sun flares, find unique ways to filter or block the sun (lace fabric, a hand, a prism, another person…have some fun!). At the end of the day, while golden hour shots get a lot of well-deserved love, shooting in full sun has its merits, too. Don’t be afraid to try something new…you might just find you prefer it! 

Post-Processing is your Friend

Whatever way you approach it, shooting in full sun is not easy, and doesn’t always produce the results we envisioned. When you get home from a sunny shoot and start culling your images you might feel a bit out of your comfort zone, but don’t fear. So much magic can happen while in the post-processing stage. Editing tools like Lightroom give you so much freedom and flexibility to fix things you might not have quite nailed in camera. Try lowering the contrast in order to soften images shot in harsh light. Use the brush tool to lower exposure in select areas that came out a bit too bright for your liking.  And don’t forget to spend time playing with some other valuable Lightroom features such as the dehaze tool, HSL sliders, and split toning, too. Familiarize yourself with all the wonders that post-processing offers, and you likely won’t sweat it too much when you’re having a bit of trouble exposing things perfectly in the moment. 

So when you get that email requesting a session at high noon on a cloudless day, it’s normal for a bit of dread to run through your veins. But once you get the hang of photographing in harsh light or full sun, that feeling of dread might just turn into brimming excitement. All light is beautiful and can be used to create some truly stunning, memorable images. You just have to learn to work with it. 

 

Written by Niamh Wilkins

Niamh is a portrait and wedding photographer originating from Dublin, Ireland but currently based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Deeply rooted in nostalgia and introversion, she seeks to use photography to celebrate the quiet moments for what they are in the hopes that they will be felt and remembered for years to come. 

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