Shooting portraits in challenging light can be intimidating, but it’s also a great opportunity to explore creative possibilities. When you’re out in bright, harsh sunlight, knowing how to manage that light is key to producing compelling images that stand out.
Coming to you from Mitch Lally, this insightful video takes you along on a portrait shoot in Melbourne. The video focuses on how to handle harsh sunlight while still getting beautiful, even exposures. Lally shares a simple yet effective technique: shooting with the sun directly behind you. By doing this, the subject's face is evenly lit, with no harsh shadows, allowing for a balanced exposure. This approach works especially well when the sun is low in the sky, creating soft, flattering light that enhances the subject’s features without creating unflattering shadows.
Lally also explores more complex lighting scenarios in this video. In one setup, he positions his subject so that the sun casts dramatic shadows on a pink wall, creating a striking contrast between light and shadow on the subject’s face. This technique not only adds depth to the image but also highlights the texture and color of the background, making the subject stand out even more. By moving the subject around and experimenting with different angles, Lally demonstrates how to use available light creatively, turning a potential challenge into an opportunity for artistic expression.
In another part of the shoot, Lally takes advantage of dappled light filtering through trees, which creates a natural vignette around the subject. This kind of light can add a unique mood to your images, especially when paired with complementary colors in the background. Lally’s choice to shoot in these conditions shows that even in harsh sunlight, you can find ways to soften the light and create visually interesting images. He emphasizes that shooting in shade is often a go-to strategy for flattering, even lighting when the sun is directly overhead.
The key is understanding how to work with the light you have, rather than fighting against it. By positioning your subject thoughtfully and using the environment to your advantage, you can achieve stunning results even in less-than-ideal lighting conditions. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Lally.
If you would like to continue learning about how to light a portrait, be sure to check out "Illuminating The Face: Lighting for Headshots and Portraits With Peter Hurley!"
Using harsh sunlight makes it so easy to produce absolute garbage images but it also allows you to create images that might even be stronger than their soft light counter part. When I first picked up a camera, I think I really did myself a disservice by noticing how bad harsh light often looked and avoiding it for years and years. Instead I sought out early and late afternoon light and also mid day shade. I learned to take great photos in easy lighting situations but now those same lighting situations are not nearly as interesting as some of the images Mitch shows in this video.
My point is, embrace difficult lighting situations early in your career and learn to use it to your advantage. Once you do, your images will stand out even more.
As challenging as it is, starting a shoot at around highnoon and working into afternoon is my favorite time to shoot. The reason for that is:
1. I'm not pressed for time. People photographers who only shoot during golden hour are always rushed. Being rushed results in garbage photos.
2. There are many different looks available from midday into afternoon that aren't available at other times. Right out in the direct sun is great for that high end fashion vibe (if you know how to use it). Finding an open door way into a building using the open high sun outside is some of the best light; in fact any place that transitions from open shade to direct sunlight is always wonderful light. Scims/silks offer yet another look in the midday sun. All of these things result in vastly different looks without much effort.
3. People generally make better subjects in the middle of they day than they do in early morning or late afternoon/evening.