Finding the light outdoors

Not sure if I ever showed these photos off or not. I took these photos (well, okay I set it up for the one of me and Dh) last summer while visiting my parents. Taken outdoors near my parents, around Noon.

Noon is NOT the best time for portraits. Not one bit. Especially not on a VERY bright sunny day.








These were all taken in one of the few locations you can take "good" portraits of people around Noon on ANY day, we were sitting on a porch in the shade. Notice I'm not showing the legs on the boys? It's because the sun was hitting the legs. Porches provide one of the better places for portraits all day long.

If you are outside planning on portraits, say for your Christmas card photo....plan for before 10am and after 4pm as those are the "best light" of the day. Honestly though, the VERY best light? Within 2 hours AFTER sunrise. (yes I mean sunrise) The light is soft, and has a blue tint to it (so you'll need to "warm" up the images some. The other "best" time is 2 hours prior to sunset, but you have to work fast as you lose the light quickly. That light is very golden, and beautiful.

Open shade works well for outdoors during the best times for light - prior to 10am and after 4pm (that's more than the 2 hours around sunrise/sunset because you can make it work). Open shade is found in the shade cast by a building or a tree that has clear sky above it. It's best because you don't deal with the influence of color changing elements (green leaves shading you creates a green cast to everything on film). If you are outdoors, look for the spots that shade is created by tall buildings, or tall trees.

Porches, pavilions, etc. are also good, but be aware of the BRIGHT sunlight behind them sometimes, especially if you shooting against the bright background.

Then, well, sometimes you just have to shoot in open sunlight. How can you keep the sunlight from creating harsh lighting? Well, one way is to stand your child in the sun, and have them face you as you circle (they'll be turning in a circle as well). You are looking for the "sweet spot" of when there are no harsh shadows, sort of a "flat lighting" and it typically comes near where the sun is BEHIND them.

If the sun is above, between 11 and 1pm especially...you WILL get raccoon eyes. You will need a reflector on the ground to bounce the light back into the eye sockets to prevent the shadows, if you are outdoors in direct sunlight. This will happen on a CLOUDY day as well as the sun is still your light, and it is still directly overhead.