Weekly challenge - strategies for “harsh” light

[SquarePeg]

We all know it’s all about the light. We like side light, golden hour, overcast, blue hour, sunrise, sunset, studio light, open shade... but what do you do when the only option is outdoor mid day so-called “harsh” light? Sometimes we can’t control the where and when. We just have to make it work. Whether on a shoot or on vacation or out on a photo walk, we sometimes need to know how to produce good photos under bad conditions.

For this week’s challenge, take some photos at mid day and try to utilize what you know to lessen the negatives of the situation. Post processing or during the shot. Black and white conversions are allowed. Fill flash, polarizing filters, neutral density filters, scrims, reflectors, bracketing are all options. These links have some helpful advice and suggestions.

As always new photos only please. Get out there and shoot.

Photography in Harsh Mid-Day Light

7 Tips for Taking Great Landscape Photos in Midday Light | Loaded Landscapes

5 Ways to Create Dramatic Landscape Photos at Midday

14 Tips on Taking Photos in Harsh Sunlight

 

[photoflyer]

Double challenge: Harsh light and unfamiliar camera.

My niece is in town and she has a Lumix G3. So to help her master it I had to learn it first. So I used it on this challenge.

Creek in the park at midday:

Rose in the Park's rose garden. Found one in the shade and highlighted it with reflected light using the windshield reflector heat shield I keep in the car.

 

[Tropicalmemories]

Sunday: Harsh mid-day tropical sun and 100'F - my strategy - stay in bed .....

 

[smoke665]

Noon sun, no shadows, makes for flat lifeless colors. Shot this of a bright Red Canna using a ND8 filter, and flash. ISO 1600, f/13, 1/160. B&W conversion. Processed in Lr with a yellow filter applied.

 

[CherylL]

I purposely shot HDR for this challenge. Hand held 3 images with the Fuji XT-2. Overcooked a little. It was about 11 am.
1.

9 image pano shot in vertical orientation. A polarizing filter was applied in post. There was police tape and would have liked to have stood in front of the flag poles. It was in the park that had the Lincoln Douglas debate. We tried to walk up the grassy levy in downtown and was told no by the Army National Guard. They had small sun tents set up every 1/2 mile of so on the levy for guarding purposes.
2.

 

[waday]

My shadow by Wade, on Flickr

 

[smoke665]

@CherylL I know this place. You know it's not hard to fake press passes Lol

 

[photoflyer]

My shadow by Wade, on Flickr

Clever.

 

[photoflyer]

Noon on the National Mall. Rain in the distance behind the monument. Shot with the 30D I purchased yesterday at Goodwill for $50.

 

[CherylL]

@CherylL I know this place. You know it's not hard to fake press passes Lol

LOL, but the Army looked liked they meant all business. The lock and dam was heavily guarded.

 

[johngpt]

Of course today here in New Mexico we're having an overcast day!

 

[photoflyer]

Of course today here in New Mexico we're having an overcast day!

Yeah, it was like that here too so I expanded my interpretation of harsh to mean "light in which it is difficult to shoot pleasing photos." At least it was taken at noon.

 

[johngpt]

Yeah, it was like that here too so I expanded my interpretation of harsh to mean "light in which it is difficult to shoot pleasing photos." At least it was taken at noon.

I'm rereading Michael Freeman's Capturing Light. He begins with what we photographers often think of as light in which it is difficult to shoot pleasing photos: gray light and then hard light.

 

[johngpt]

mid day Rio Grande bosque 11Jun19

I got into shooting through an infrared filter in part to extend the time of day I could shoot beyond the golden hours.
Today I went out to the Rio Grande and shot this at 1:30p.
Mid day we often have strong light and bold shadows. Infrared thankfully likes that.

There are other strategies for mid day, hard light that I'm hoping to utilize tomorrow.
The place I wanted to go is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

.

 

[SquarePeg]

Took this tonight in some seriously strong light. Had to try several spots and various metering modes and settings before I got something usable. Also used a polarizing filter.