Suggestions for outdoor pics on a sunny day

roxysmom

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We can't control nature but any suggestions on what to do if it's really sunny and your trying to get outdoor shots? I took a family to a park and I loved the background and poses but the sun was streaming in through the trees. I am taking more pictures this weekend and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions? Thank you!
 
I am no photo genius but if it were me I would shoot to expose the highlights and then adjust the levels/ curves in post proccessing to expose the subjects. and shoot RAW so you can really do what you need to do with your photos.
 
Reflectors come to mind to throw some light back and balance the exposure.

If it were me though, I'd just use fill flash. I might dial it down for a little moodier shot if called for and if the atmosphere was right and the bands of sunlight were solid enough I would use them for framing or any other compositional ideas that struck my fancy.

You might try shooting in raw and bracketing for exposure so that you can go the HDR route.

mike
 
Shoot in the shade and use the really bright areas as a background just don't expose for the bright areas and don't forget the fill flash.
 
I have been shooting in highlight mode but when I open my pictures in Photoshop the highlights are gone. They are visible when I load up my images. Should I adjust on the camera?
 
I was going to ask the same question. I am going to the Tulip festival in Ottawa tomorrow. Any additional suggestions for outdoor shooting of flowers?
 
Here are some techniques I've used to shoot in bright sunlight. The important thing is to experiment and try different angles, techniques, etc.
  • Block some of the sunlight with diffusing material, like wax paper or a thin white T-shirt, and hold the diffuser between your lens and your subject(s).
  • Use a DIY reflector (e.g., aluminum foil - use a gold-toned foil for warmer highlights) to highlight shadier areas.
  • Shoot so that the sun is behind and to the left of your subject(s).
  • Use your flash.
  • A skylight filter or polarizing filter might be helpful.
  • For portraits, have your subject(s) hold a sheet of white paper under their face, angled slightly up, to soften their features.
  • Several professional photographers recommend the following settings for shooting in bright sunlight: aperture to f/16, ISO speed to 100, and exposure time to 1/100 (or 1/125) second.
 
Alll great suggestions...

I'd like to stress that a polarizing filter and Neutral density filter (when its too bright to get a wider aperture) will be of great help.
 

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