Hi Everyone!
In anticipation of our vacation digital scrapbooking package that will be coming out next week, we’re going to do a few posts on taking summer pictures. So, this post is the first of several that will talk about tips on taking great sunny day photos.
With summer comes summer vacations, pool time, picnics, little league baseball – all great opportunities to shoot terrific photos.
Lighting is one of the most important factors in getting a good picture. And, one of the biggest challenges of shooting in the summer is managing the brightness of the sun, which can add harsh shadows to your photos, as well as wash out rich colors and cause the auto exposure on your camera to under expose your images. The hard and direct light of midday can be particularly difficult for photographing. For this reason, the middle of a sunny day isn’t the best time to take a picture.
So, if you have a choice, try shooting more often in the half hour to two hours before and after sunrise and sunset. The soft, low-angle light at these times can give your photos warm, rich colors, and lots of detail. The side lighting of the sun in late afternoon can cast soft shadows on your subject that can give your photos depth and texture; the warm glow of the late afternoon sun can create a romantic mood.
Don’t forget to take into account the weather, because it plays a big part on natural lighting. A less-than-perfect summer day can actually be the best time for taking pictures. A bright, overcast day is perfect for portrait photography because the soft light won’t cast harsh shadows under your subject’s eyes, noses, and chins, and nobody has to squint. Flowers also photograph best on a cloudy day.
Take advantage of the weather to give your photos a sense of mood. Soft, foggy light or a light, misty rain will convey a very different feeling from the same scene on a bright sunny day.
Until next time, happy scrapping!
Mary
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