Many photography tutorials will tell you that the best time to shoot outdoors is around sunrise or sunset — the so-called Golden Hour. However, the reality is, it’s not always possible for everyone to take photos at these precise hours each time. So, many of us end up having to shoot in the bright daytime light. It’s a tricky condition to work with but with some tips from UK-based Roman Fox, we’ll up our chances of getting the best photos despite the harsh light.
He begins by describing the two scenarios we will most likely encounter when shooting during the midday. First is the high contrast scene, then the typical washed out, low contrast look that you get in open areas. The main challenge, he noted, is to avoid trying to turn high contrast into low contrast and vice versa. In the former, you’ll end up with an unpleasant result, while in the latter, you’ll have a muddy image. As such, the best approach is to work with the scene. If it’s a high contrast scene, capture it as such. Otherwise, make it work with a low contrast exposure.
Other daytime photography techniques Fox covered include simplifying your scene, paying attention to the colors within your frame and looking for reflections or diffused light. Also, try experimenting with a combination of these to get the best results!
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