Wanna know how you do it???

[mnchevygirl]

How do many of you photograph on a nice sunny day outside? I'm not talking like a professional setup, more like if you were outside with your kids, friends, etc. in a relaxed setting. Do you try to make sure the sun is behind you or the subject or kind of off to the side?

[TomTomTuning]

Dont hang out outside till 1-2 hours before sunset.. lol jp

If the light is high and bright, you can try using some fill flash to "fill" the shadows caused by the sun. (under eyes, nose, chin)

Try shooting in the shade.. Under trees or other stuff.

Just go with the flow, and work with what you got.

[kencaleno]

Time of day and angle of light are the two essential considerations to be made about using sunlight as the main source of light. Photographers talk about late afternoon ( golden) light. Things do seem to photograph more beautifully when the sun is low on the horizon, that is, at dusk. You can get a similar feeling early in the morning although morning light tends to be more pink ( Cooler) while afternoon light is redder (Warmer).While shooting photographs between 10am and 4pm is not generally recommended, sometimes certain subjects will work fine, especially when you want a high degree of contrast between highlight and shadow. ( Architectural details come to mind)
Non-directional lighting has light reaching the subject from all sorts of angles; from left, from right, and all angles in between, and shadows thus formed are very soft, sometimes hard to discern-Cloud cover on an overcast day is one example of non-directional light, while light reflected from the sky (skylight) is another. Concerning portraits, It is better to use a non-directional (Diffused) light source, due to the gradual gradation of its shadow, which doesn’t mar the portrait. If you’re shooting outdoors, for the best modelling you will want the light to strike the model’s face from the side, at 45 degrees vertical and horizontal. First get out of the direct sunlight, either in the shade of a building, or under the shelter of a tree. This will result in your model being lit by a diffused, non-directional light source, skylight or reflected light from surroundings. If you position your model looking towards this light source , the face should be lit with soft, delicate light. All you need to do is to move your subject, or your camera, to get light crossing the face.. What you want to achieve here is to have one side of the face brighter than the other by two stops exposure, giving a 3-dimensional rendering to the portrait. In case there is no tree, or building, you may need to resort to scrims, reflectors or blacks to modify the light to suit. Scrims are sheets of translucent material that are held between the sun and the subject to diffuse direct light. Reflectors are panels of card or material that reflects light, providing a soft quality of light. Usually white, silver or gold in colour, light bounces off the surface and into the shadow areas of the face. Blacks are the opposite of reflectors and they absorb light, instead of reflecting it. regards, Ken

[photosbyrowell]

Originally Posted by mnchevygirl

How do many of you photograph on a nice sunny day outside? I'm not talking like a professional setup, more like if you were outside with your kids, friends, etc. in a relaxed setting. Do you try to make sure the sun is behind you or the subject or kind of off to the side?

I just shoot! Best thing to do is to try and find some shade or have the sun right in front of the person instead of behind, that way their face is lit by the sun.

You can get creative with the sun behind the person and get some awesome flair and silhouette-like photos.

[wulf]

Originally Posted by TomTomTuning

... work with what you got.

I think that is an essential tip. If you want to get the best photos, you will probably find yourself arranging places and times BECAUSE of the light (Ken's advice gives some useful tips). If you want to get good photos where and when you happen to be, take a few moments to think about what possibilities are offered by the setting.

Every time you stop and think rather than just pointing and shooting, you will gradually be developing your experience and ability to make good judgements. If the location is somewhere easy to get to, you might want to make an effort to visit it in different weather conditions and times and take pictures so you can compare just how much the setting changes.

Wulf