HELP ----Shooting Pictures in bright sunlight

[JanB56]

I have tried to upload one of the raw pictures,.

Unfortunately, this website does not support RAW files. You can upload the JPEG version, or provide a link to the RAW, or simply e-mail the RAW to someone who might be asking for it. You will have to get that member's e-mail to send it.

Anyway, to upload the JPEG files, you should downsize them to no larger than 1024 pixels on the longest side. Then they will upload in a jiffy.

The NEF. files that you have will help you with editing when you do it.

Oh, where were we? Oh, yeah, showing a sample photograph.

If you can schedule a re-shoot right away, just do that, and try using "fill" flash. Do you own a speedlight? If not, your built-in flash might not have enough power to balance the strong sunlight.

Designer
I appreciate your help, I thought for sure that I would need to upload a raw copy, since I have both raw & jpg, I will upload the jpeg. yes, I do have a ' speedlight', i'm also going to invest in the white reflectors for future use, I think this will help a lot too. in the meantime, I will google how to use my speedlite in a very sunny situation. I had no idea about this resolution. Thank you so much for taking the time to help out a newbie !!!

 

[KmH]

3. Use a scrim or diffuser to make a bit of open shade that falls on your subject. A reflector can be used for fill light.
You might want to use both a scrim and a reflector on opposite sides of your subject.

It's all about using the appropriate tools to manage/control the light.

No doubt, it helps to have two assistants on hand at all times ... and a bag full of accessories.

"Necessity is the mother of invention."

A lot of photographers enlist their friends, or friends of the subject, to hold reflectors/scrims/diffusers. Heck. If there are any, sometimes you can get a passerby or interested bystander to help.

Have no doubt, they make stands for reflectors or, like many amateur photographers, make an inexpensive easily portable DIY stand. PVC pipe and rip stop nylon is popular for that.
Plus they make rectangular reflectors that often can be leaned against the photographers legs, or a tree, or a bush, or a car, or a rock, yada, yada, yada.
For many people shots the subject can can hold a reflector/diffuser outside the image frame.

The bottom line is - if you want high quality photographs be prepared to make some effort to control the lighting in pretty much every shooting situation.

 

[soufiej]

"Necessity is the mother of invention."

A lot of photographers enlist their friends, or friends of the subject, to hold reflectors/scrims/diffusers. Heck. If there are any, sometimes you can get a passerby or interested bystander to help.

Have no doubt, they make stands for reflectors or, like many amateur photographers, make an inexpensive easily portable DIY stand. PVC pipe and rip stop nylon is popular for that.
Plus they make rectangular reflectors that often can be leaned against the photographers legs, or a tree, or a bush, or a car, or a rock, yada, yada, yada.
For many people shots the subject can can hold a reflector/diffuser outside the image frame.

The bottom line is - if you want high quality photographs be prepared to make some effort to control the lighting in pretty much every shooting situation.

I would question your use of the word "necessity".

Say someone is out enjoying the day with their family and they have their camera with them. They spot a location they feel would be great for a shot of junior sitting astride a concrete cow (race car, tower, semi-gigantic Mickey Mouse head, etc.) . Inspiration strikes but they have no clear idea how to pull this off without blowing out highlights due to the bright midday sun.

Is this really the short of shot which requires they set up reflectors and scrims and stands or go around gathering up several complete strangers who have other things to do beyond standing around while the op heads out to gather up still more strangers leaving behind the first group who are still waiting patiently to be positioned here, no, there, no, a bit higher, no, that's wrong, over there ... ?

How about some instructions for the photographer who doesn't own scrims and reflectors and stands and doesn't want to gather up complete strangers. Hell, maybe the op is the last living family after the holocaust occurs and there isn't a group of strangers to gather!


Ahem, ...

I don't get the impression the op is looking to carry around stands and reflectors and scrims and all that stuff. They are on a family outing and the op wants a photograph. Period. No big production numbers.

Let's just assume, for the sake of assuming, the op has a camera and a kid and a location. No more.

Everyone else has gone home.

Bright sunny day.

Now, other than going out to buy scrims and reflectors and stands and a bag with wheels to haul it all around in, what do they do?

 

[vintagesnaps]

Stand in the shade. Like Derrel said, near where it's sunny not back in a dark corner. With experience you should start to notice what works when you're out on a sunny day, which direction to have them face, where do you see shadows, etc.

You could get in some practice with objects, anything you have or can set out in your yard at different times of day, so when you're out and about you'll start getting a better idea what to do.

If it's hazy a lot where you live you might want to think about a polarizing filter to polarize the light (similar to sunglasses that have polarizing lenses) but you'd have to learn how to adjust your settings since a filter could cut the light going into the camera. I rarely use one (last time I did it was at a local lake, with the bright sun and water it helped). It would take some learning and practice.

 

[soufiej]

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