This blog post focuses on some of my favorite tips for shooting in harsh light. As photographers, we face lots of different kinds of light in a day (especially when photographing weddings). And unfortunately, we can’t always shoot in our favorite golden hour glowy light. There will be times when we’re photographing bridal parties and have to shoot at noon. Or we’re in a wide open space at three pm photographing the ceremony. It’s unavoidable. The best time to learn is in the moment, but these tips for shooting in harsh light will hopefully help prepare you before you ever have to face it!

Put the sun behind your subject

Rather than having your subject squinting into the sun, put the sun behind them! This will give your subjects soft, glowy rim light; it eliminates harsh shadows on their faces, gives you more flattering skin tones, and, if photographing horses, it encourages them not to pin their ears or squint in the harsh sunlight.

Expose for your subject’s face, and let the background naturally fade out, even if it blows out the background a little bit.

man in a brown shirt kissing the forehead of a blonde girl in a bright pink jacket.

Look for open shade

Open shade is what photographers like to call shade (from a building, a tree line, etc.) that faces wide open space and has direct access to the sky. This does not mean a deep dark recess – it means even balanced light on your subject! This direct access to the sky will help with clean, beautiful skin tones, and shade is always the perfect option for getting clean, even light! Look for the side of a barn or building, a tree-line on the edge of a property or fence-line, North-facing walls, large doorways, or covered arenas.

Avoid small patches of shade that cast dapples or wonky shadows on your subjects.

engaged man and woman facing each other against a tree line

Face them towards their shadows

If there is no shade available, my favorite tip is to face them towards their shadows. Midday sun is harsh because of how strong it is, but facing your subject towards their shadow will always guarantee that they have even light over the front of their faces and bodies.

Expose for their faces, not the background

In harsh light, your camera will want to protect blown-out areas in your image. Switch your light meter to only meter on the area you ask it to, and expose for the skin of your subject’s face. Watch your histogram on the back of your camera and check your light meter in your settings while shooting, and slightly underexpose if you need to to protect skin tones. It is much easier to lift shadows later while editing than it is to save blown-out highlights.

girl leaning against flowers smiling at the camera
girl and guy kissing in a grassy field

Use Natural reflectors

One of my favorite things to do while shooting is to look for natural reflectors. Light colored pebbled stones, gravel roads, light colored barns, white fences, sidewalks, sand or sand arenas, etc. are all good places to start. Look for longer grass as it distributes light better than shorter grass, and opt for brown dirt over dark brick walkways.

Change your angle

Sometimes changing your angle can get you a completely different look, while still preserving the quality of your image! Try shooting lower, using tree limbs to block parts of the sun, placing the sun behind your horse’s neck, or using buildings to block the light. Just shifting your perspective a little or moving your feet can save an image.

couple holding hands running together

Use a longer lens

This is a trick I feel like not enough photographers talk about. Switching your focal lengths can have a drastic change on your images, and can cut the glare out of your image. Try shooting on an 85, a 135, or anything with a longer reach, which will eliminate the distractions in the background and eliminate bright hot spots. This also allows you to position yourself where the light is good, without getting too close to your subject.

Bring a few tools

Bringing a few things with you to your session can help you out in a pinch. A collapsible diffuser can help soften direct overhead light; a white diffuser can redirect light to brighten your subject; a lens hood can help cut the glare down; or a circular polarizer can be used to manage glare, reflections, and deepen the color of your sky.

Here’s a quick Cheat Sheet:

Do:

  • ✓ Backlight your subject
  • ✓ Find open shade
  • ✓ Expose for skin
  • ✓ Use natural reflectors
  • ✓ Watch your histogram

Avoid:

  • ✗ Having subjects face directly into the sun
  • ✗ Dappled light on faces or horses
  • ✗ Blown highlights
  • ✗ Relying only on your camera’s meter without checking exposure

For a soft, airy style, backlighting combined with open shade will usually produce the soft, timeless look your clients are expecting from you while still allowing you to shoot confidently in the middle of the day! I hope these tips for shooting in harsh light help you at your next session. Anything you would add? Comment it below!

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