Summer time is back and so are the holidays. If you happen to be like most people, you will probably be looking forward to making sunny memories. Before you pack your camera, we have come up with 7 + 1 tips for you on how to capture great moments during the brightest time of the year:
WATCH THE TIME
For a start, try to avoid carpe diem (noon) when the sun shines straight down and casts strong shadows. Instead, plan on setting your alarm clock to catch the golden hour when you can enjoy the best light (when everything looks golden). The golden hour occurs twice a day, just before sunrise and just before sunset; shadows are longer then, light is softer and colors are warmer. If you and your family are not early risers, then take time to go out before sunset and have fun organizing a shoot with scenes (including landscape) that please you all.
BRING YOUR LENS HOOD
If you are shooting directly into sunlight, using a lens hood will help reducing flare on your subject.
MOVE YOUR SUBJECT INTO THE SHADE
MOVE YOUR SUBJECT INTO THE SHADE
Sometimes it is just not possible to time your pictures. If this is the case, and when possible, think of moving your subject into the shade, and if you can’t find shade, made some! If you have someone with you, ask them to hold an umbrella, a beach towel… so that you won’t have to take pictures under the harsh sunlight.
USE A DIFFUSER
Bringing a diffuser to work around harsh and direct sunlight is a good idea. You can either buy one or make one with some fabric and a frame.
PREVENT OVEREXPOSURE
PREVENT OVEREXPOSURE
With harsh sunlight your pictures will be overexposed unless you keep your ISO as low as possible, increase you shutter speed and decrease your aperture. The higher the ISO setting, the more the camera is sensitive to the light. The shutter speed of your camera is like the blinking of your eye. When the light is too bright you blink faster rather than expose your eye too long. It works the same with your camera. Brighter light requires faster shutter speed. 1/500ths of a second or faster will prevent overexposure. The aperture needs to be narrowed to control overexposure; to do this, you need to increase the f number in your aperture setting.
USE YOUR FILL FLASH
When the sun is hash and hitting straight down, it creates strong shadows. You can use a flash to lighten the shadows on your subject. Use your flash too when your subject is positioned with his back to the sun. This will illuminate the foreground. Try changing your distance back or forth from the subject to alter the strength of your flash light.
TRY BLACK & WHITE
If you are up to working on some post production for your shots, try black & white for a different feel.
HAVE FUN!
Author: Annie R. Teo
HAVE FUN!
Author: Annie R. Teo
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