How we handle harsh light, today.
We used to live in complete fear of mid-day light, and there are a few reasons we don’t, so much, anymore.
Still, the EASIEST way to manage mid day light, is to SKIP mid-day light. It’s easier to control/block the sun earlier and later, so it’s still the number one way we handle mid day light…we avoid it.
But we not only can’t…..always avoid it, we also miss out on the VARIETY of light, if we completely ignore the sun…..and here’s how we shoot WITH direct, hard light.
One. Embrace shadows. In the “olden days” we feared shadows, and today, we don’t so much. Our cameras render shadow areas cleaner, the transitions to shadow are better, and we’ve kind of grown up, and accepted that shadows are REAL and they give our subjects DEPTH. Sometimes they’re actually BETTER.
Two. Block that sun. If it’s mid day it can be harder, but it’s still a GREAT solution. Block the sun, and get some open sky behind the photographer.
Three. Fill shadows in post. Like above, today’s cameras can shoot very clean shadows, we just lift them when we develop.
Four. Shoot light and airy. We used to dread blown highlights but we don’t run from those anymore either, and letting some highlights go to get to bright, soft and airy is a good solution.
Five. Use a reflector…….this is very UNcommon today, because it’s always been hard to do…..reflectors have to be pretty close or pretty large. But they certainly work.
Six. Use added light……strobe, flash…..even continuous lighting today can be powerful enough.
Seven. We point our subject RIGHT AT THE LIGHT…you don’t have shadow problems when you point your people RIGHT AT the sun.
Eight. Shoot ACTION. For the most part, we dont care about harsh light with active subjects.
The GREAT thing, is we no longer have to FEAR direct sun, because we have so many paths to cool pics with it.