How To Photograph In Harsh Midday Light

In this video I cover how to photograph in harsh light.

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CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
01:16 - Contrast & Exposure
03:06 - Simplify Your Scene
04:36 - Colour
06:15 - Reflection & Diffusion

[snapsbyfox]

Thank you for the great response to this! 

[paulasimson]

Best advice I've heard about not fighting against high or low contrast. I've never thought of it that way.

[skach-v]

This video is possibly the most unexpected and silent game changer in my photography experience. I'm surprised, but I've always tried to reduce the contrast trying to save as many details as it is possible. I've never thought if I could do it another way. I think even composing a frame will be different for me from now on. Thanks, Roman!

[petermcginty]

Thank you. At least one person realises that most of us have 9-5 jobs, and that 2:00pm on Saturday is the only free time to shoot. Great tips, many thanks.

[mike-fbfw]

You are so right.. as a non-morning-person, harsh light is my default 😂

[MrRafalEn]

I love this channel. In an era of "my camera is better than yours" or "I have to buy a new gear so my photos can be better" type of stuff you just release those chillout videos with great photos and some nice advices. Keep up the good work.

[mogret]

2:28 Very nice advice, it's easy to fall in the habbit of just boast contrast and saturation for everything, because more is better. 😄

[concha]

Lisbon is the perfect place for "harsh midday light" - glad you included so many photos of Lisbon here! Great content, as always!

[donho]

Thanks for the tips. One thing I look for are interesting shadows during harsh light conditions. Shadows may not be as drawn out or elongated as during golden hour, but they are more defined.

[tomdressel]

Thanks for the video. Great tips for working within the confines of the lighting conditions that we often find ourselves shooting in. Many times I've heard it stated that one should not bother shooting in mid-day. But as you've indicated, this may not be practical. One additional thing that comes to mind is that if you are on a trip with friends or family, you still want to capture the memories throughout the day regardless of whether the light is ideal or not. When I used to work in a city, I would go out during my lunch break, grab a quick bite to eat, and then photograph the town. I've gotten many photos during those times that I cherish.

[docgolden]

Very helpful video! As a photographer based in Phoenix, AZ, harsh light is a thing. I’ve tried most of these approaches at some point or another, but your idea about putting on a longer lens is something I haven’t tried to help mitigate the challenges of harsh light. I’ll give that a try once this oven summer subsides. Thanks!!

[oscarviamonte]

Never been more excited for a video because like you said I have family and work so going out at sunset or sunrise is near impossible

[kaiateya]

I think generally "If it's not working, try something else" is a great rule with this stuff. 😹 Being playful and having an ongoing conversation with your camera and what's around you is the best way to enjoy photography. (And that includes not stressing about "required" stuff like times of day.)

[k-ozdragon]

I started learning photography by taking it over at my job. I knew pretty much nothing, and had no resources to use. So I basically was just going outside to get photos of products. I ended up learning how to shoot in harsh light by accident. All my product shots were being taken midday in the afternoon sun. It was a pretty steep learning curve. Of course not knowing any better, I just learned what worked and what didn't.
Now my favorite time to go out and shoot is midday. Most portfolios are full of blue or golden hour photos, so I enjoy having something totally different. I enjoy high contrast photos, and it's basically my style since that's how I learned to shoot. These are all excellent tips. Much like night photography, the afternoon isn't that it's a bad time to shoot, it's just harder than golden hour or a boring cloudy day. The images you get are much more dynamic and interesting, but you really need the skills and patience to get them. Repetition is key, as is trying new techniques. Thankfully most of us shoot digital, so each shot costs us nothing. Just keep taking photos and trying various things with each scene, and pretty soon you will see what works and what doesn't.

[davidmcculloch]

As a landscape and architecture photographer, I accept and sometimes embrace harsh light. Recently shooting some wrecked boats in their surrounding terrain, harsh light added to the drama. Softer light is preferable in most cases but if that means missing the shot... Like your tip on reflections btw.

[bernardbonnici]

Thanks for the video and tips, I live in Malta and harsh light is the order of most of the day! I usually head for modern architecture areas to capture areas of high contrast in B/W whilst trying to include human figures as well.

[Needacreate]

Two more ways of embracing harsh midday light that I use fairly regularly are seeking or deliberately placing subjects in open shade with its nice diffusion, or consciously including the sun in the frame to produce dramatic sunbursts.

[ChrisSmith]

I absolutely love shooting street/ architecture during the midday - especially high contrast scenes. Seeking geometry/ shades and highlights is incredibly rewarding.

[thecaveofthedead]

There's an old film trick for portraits that can look very unusual today - although it was common in professional images in the late '80s and '90s: fill flash. Bang a big old flash on your camera, set it to -1.7 stops and photograph people in even very harsh light. The flash's reduced power lightens the shadow under people's eyes and noses without being at all obvious. It also increases the saturation of those caught in the flash. It's not for everyone but, because it's rare nowdays, it can look very striking and many seasoned photographers won't even know how you achieved the effect.

[DutchDiederik]

It's so easy to get caught up in all the super advanced gear and editing tools we have at our disposal these days, that's why I love content with the focus on the fundamentals of photography. Ultimately, it all begins and ends with a good shot. I really believe that.

Solid advice in this video, man. Thank you.