MANAGE HARSH SUNLIGHT

Take control of intense natural light to minimise undesirable highlights and shadows on your subject

One of the biggest mistakes found in the work of new portrait photographers is the misuse of direct sunlight. While beginners may interpret that more light is better, placing the subject out in direct, undiffused sunlight is bad news for skin tones and facial expressions.

The light from the sun is incredibly intense, meaning it is difficult for the subject not to squint, especially when illuminated from the front. This is not a good look for the majority of models and it certainly makes it unlikely you will capture authentic emotion.

From a technical view, it is the worst type of lighting for creating a balanced exposure. The range of tones usually falls outside the dynamic range of most cameras, resulting in blown highlights and blocked shadows. Even if clipping does not occur, light can bleach the subject’s skin, accentuate surface detail and imperfections and cast distracting shadows on the far side of their body.

We can use the benefits of light, such as higher shutter speeds and reduced noise, while reducing the negative impacts on the exposure structure of our images. By carefully selecting the time of day and combining this with a good working knowledge of the outdoor location, we can position the subject to receive light that offers shape and depth, while cutting problem exposure areas from the frame.

Using careful composition to limit the field of view is the simplest and most effective way to overcome brightness hotspots in the background while placing the subject out of the direct and most intense light improves their local exposure balance.

EXPOSURE HOTSPOTS UNCONTROLLED SHADOWS DISTORTED HAIR COLOUR FAKE IT In harsh light, better results can be achieved using flash and creating a new light structure. It may imitate sunlight, but it is more controllable Above right DIRECT MIDDAY SUN HAS CREATED BRIGHT AREAS OF BLEACHED SKIN, WHICH CAN DISTRACT FROM THE SUBJECT’S EYES THE TOP-DOWN LIGHT HAS CAST SHADOWS ACROSS OTHER AREAS OF THE FACE ALTERING THE NATURAL SHAPE AND FORM HIGH-FREQUENCY HIGHLIGHTS BREAK UP THE STRUCTURE OF THE HAIR AND OBSCURE THE MODEL’S NATURAL HAIR TONE

INTO THE LIGHT In strong light, place the source behind the subject to prevent direct contact with the face. All light falling on the front of the subject will be reflected Below left