It's been awhile since I have answered any FAQ from you guys out there regarding photography. Niki sent me this email awhile back, so I apologize for the delay Niki! It's getting harder to answer many of your emails just due to the workload, but I'll try to get one up every month or two.
Hi,
I found your Blog and absolutly loved your photo's. They are amazing!! Im only just starting out with photography. I was just wondering how do you get such amazing bright, crisp photo's outside without the sun glaring on them? Is it a technique you use, the time of day...I have no idea. If you have any tips at all I would really appreciate to hear them.
Thanks so much,
Niki
Thanks Niki! In addition to understanding how the fundamentals of aperture, shutter speed and ISO interrelate (too much to go into here) and really understanding your own gear, I have found time of day plays one of the biggest roles in how your photographs turn out. You often hear photographers speak of "the sweet light" or "the golden light" which is that hour or so before the sun sets, when the light is low in the sky very golden. That is the time I try to schedule the majority of my outdoor sessions, or my time with the bride and groom for their "portrait time" on their wedding day. The least flattering time of day for outdoor photographs is when the sun is highest in the sky. This varies during the season and year, but generally speaking, from 10 AM-3 PM (in the AZ winter) and roughly 9 AM - 4 PM (in the AZ summer), when the high sun creates more harsh shadows and is very bright, causing your subjects to squint.
When the sun is too bright to place subjects in, my favorite outdoor light is 1) diffused light which is not necessarily the shade under a tree on a bright day, though sometimes this is a necessity, but places with overhangs, courtyards, patio coverings, or other more shaded areas because the light is soft and generally even:
a) Inside a courtyard, not in direct sun. Late afternoon/early evening.
Hi,
I found your Blog and absolutly loved your photo's. They are amazing!! Im only just starting out with photography. I was just wondering how do you get such amazing bright, crisp photo's outside without the sun glaring on them? Is it a technique you use, the time of day...I have no idea. If you have any tips at all I would really appreciate to hear them.
Thanks so much,
Niki
Thanks Niki! In addition to understanding how the fundamentals of aperture, shutter speed and ISO interrelate (too much to go into here) and really understanding your own gear, I have found time of day plays one of the biggest roles in how your photographs turn out. You often hear photographers speak of "the sweet light" or "the golden light" which is that hour or so before the sun sets, when the light is low in the sky very golden. That is the time I try to schedule the majority of my outdoor sessions, or my time with the bride and groom for their "portrait time" on their wedding day. The least flattering time of day for outdoor photographs is when the sun is highest in the sky. This varies during the season and year, but generally speaking, from 10 AM-3 PM (in the AZ winter) and roughly 9 AM - 4 PM (in the AZ summer), when the high sun creates more harsh shadows and is very bright, causing your subjects to squint.
When the sun is too bright to place subjects in, my favorite outdoor light is 1) diffused light which is not necessarily the shade under a tree on a bright day, though sometimes this is a necessity, but places with overhangs, courtyards, patio coverings, or other more shaded areas because the light is soft and generally even:
a) Inside a courtyard, not in direct sun. Late afternoon/early evening.
b) On a patio, under the roof covering, facing out to light source.
and 2) golden light in the last 15-20 minutes of direct sun exposure before it sets.
This shot was taken in the last 10 minutes or so of light, facing sun at approx. 30 degree angle. Meaning sun was setting just a few degrees off to her left (my right).
The beauty of that last 20 min or so of daylight-- when the sun is just above the horizon -- is that it also provides some neat opportunities for backlighting, where you can incorporate the setting sun into your photos, or use the light to create pretty highlights in their hair or silhouette them.
Above:) Shot probably about 20-30 min before sun actually set over the horizon.
Below:) Shooting directly into last minutes of setting sun
Above:) Sun is right behind them, but I moved off the right a bit, so that it would not hit my lens directly. I wanted this shot to be very golden and "moody." This was probably about 10 minutes before it went over the horizon.
If you are working with shaded areas in high sun, move your subjects to a place where the light falls off directly in front of them, or to the side of them. This gives you more exposure but keeps it diffused and not harsh. Think of your front doors open, and stepping just inside the door frame facing out, to the point where the sun leaves the face and body. To me, that is great light to shoot in, especially if the area behind your subject is dark and all the light falls off behind them.
Above:) She is standing in the door frame of her back patio door. I exposed for her skin, so that any ambient light coming from her house behind her would fall to dark. I intentionally underexposed the image by 1/2 stop or so she was my main focus. In post processing, I brought up the lights (her skin) a tiny bit and deepened the blacks (behind her) so again, the focus is on her belly and face, where my intention of the shot was to highlight.
Note: All of the above images were shot using manual settings so I have more control over the light in the final image.
And for the clearest, most crisp pictures in outdoor light, remember to keep your ISO as low as possible. I hope that helps!
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