Embracing Full Sun
We all love the soft, gorgeous warmth of golden hour light for our images. For my clients, it’s always my first choice when picking a shooting time. However, in reality I actually prefer to shoot in straight up full sun. Yes you read that right, my backlight lovers! Shooting in the full sun not only offers me a wide variety of creative opportunities, but the bright tones and saturated colors are right in line with the joyful mood I love for my photography to convey. Shooting during the mid-day brings a set of challenges, but plenty of benefits too.
One of my favorite features of shooting in full sun is the opportunity to capture blue skies. I often have my subjects face the sun so that the camera is facing the bluest part of the sky. The trick is to make sure your subject has their head turned, otherwise you will be capturing a very squinty face. I am head over heels in love with bright, blue, happy skies. And if there are clouds? Even better!
In fact, if there is a lot of detail and interest in the sky then my first choice is a wide angle lens. Not only is a 35mm or wider lens very forgiving in harsh lighting situations, but it can accentuate the clouds as an element of storytelling in the image.
I especially love to use my Sigma 2.8 fisheye lens. It captures interesting skies with ease, and is lightweight and inexpensive to boot!
Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment! I love the opportunity to capture sunflare or a silhouette. Or, try playing with shadows and embrace the combination of harsh light and dramatic shade.
Enjoy shooting at all times of the day! Get out there and practice – you may find that mid-day is your favorite time to shoot too.
Ashley
Great post! I was wondering what focal length your Sigma 2.8 fisheye is?
Missy Mayo
Hi Ashley! Thank you! I own the Sigma 15mm fisheye. It’s a fantastic lens for the price and probably my favorite lens. It’s a whole lot of fun!