Outdoor Portraits: Tips for How to Soften, Diffuse, and Manage Hard Light
The best way to capture the most flattering light for an outdoor photo shoot is to time your shoot right. Shooting during the morning, just after sunrise, or in the evening, just before sunset, is the ideal way to take advantage of the softest natural sunlight. However, it is not always possible to schedule outdoor photo shoots at these times. If you are photographing an event or photo session that takes place in the middle of the day, it is important that you know how to manage, soften, and diffuse the hard midday light in order to capture flattering photographs.
Use the Clouds
Clouds are your friends on a partly-to-mostly sunny day. The reason is simple. Clouds act as a natural light diffuser. If possible, wait to snap your shutter until a cloud passes over the sun and acts as a natural light filter.
Watch the Sun
Do not angle your shots so that the sun is behind your subject, unless, of course, you are trying to capture their silhouettes. Rather, angle your shots so that the sun is behind your back at an angle. This is the best way to cast sunlight onto your subject’s face, not only to brighten their face and illuminate the shot, but also to avoid squinty eyes and unflattering shadows.
Use Your Flash
You probably think that your built-in flash is for use in dark settings, which is true. But it is also an important tool to help you manage hard light. When used during the day, your flash can counteract natural shadows, illuminate your subjects, and act as a fill light.
Adjust Your Aperture
Adjusting the aperture of your lens allows you to manage the amount of light that enters your camera. A wide aperture will lead to brighter photographs no matter the lighting, and can also give you a more dramatic bokeh, or blur, of the background.
Bring Your Equipment
It is okay to travel light to an outdoor photo shoot, but you should bring a couple of key pieces of professional photography equipment. An external flash and lighting umbrella, attached to a outdoor photo light stand, to help you diffuse harsh sunlight and capture better, shadow-free photographs of your subjects. A portable reflector can allow you to change the angle of the sunlight and make it work for you, rather than against you.