Do you panic when shooting outside of golden hour? Here are 3 tips on how to photograph in harsh, midday lighting!

We’ve found that photographing in harsh light is allllways photographers #1 concern when it comes to a 2pm first look, or wide open midday session. So don’t worry – you’re not alone. I used to panic, too!

Cut to today – I live for midday lighting. Give me all the harsh light you can, Mother Nature. I’m bored at golden hour, and I look for any chance I can to introduce harsh light back into my client’s galleries. It’s time for you to do the same – you’ll be a better photographer because of it!

If you prefer to watch/listen? You can watch it on our YouTube here. If not, let’s dive in!

Here are 3 tips for learning to shoot in Harsh Light..

1. Focus on keeping your subjects facial features in consistent lighting.

Whether it’s direct light or backlight – (unintentionally) inconsistent lighting is what will make your photography look amateur immediately. This is when you get raccoon eyes and really textured skin – basically the harsh light that you’re terrified of and you hate seeing in other people’s photos. One of the biggest mistakes we see photographers make! So my biggest piece of advice that I can give you when shooting in harsh light is to be aware of your clients facial features and try to keep it in consistent light as much as possible.

Want to learn more about how to shoot in harsh light? Meet the Harsh Light Workshop – a power-packed online course dedicated to helping you overcome your fear of lighting and teaching how to use wild light to your advantage. Together, we’ll walk through how I troubleshoot “nasty” light, how I pose my couples for the best lighting possible, how I use light to set the mood of an image, AND MORE!

2. Don’t be afraid to use a reflector!

Photographers always scare away from reflectors thinking they’ll make the photos look cheesy – however there is so much versatility when it comes to this tool. Experiment with the different faces and sides to see what will match your photography style best! Don’t be afraid to use it even if you’re just filling a little bit of light during a couples portraits session or detail photos. This is the reflector I’d like to use – however they all work, so use whatever works best for you!

3. Get artsy and uncomfortable!

There is no better time to push yourself than when it comes to harsh light. This is an amazing opportunity to get a little uncomfortable and try more artsy posing and composition in order to make the most of the punch contrast that shooting in Harsh Light provides. When it comes to technicality, make sure that you’re shooting at a little bit higher of an aperture and that you’re always exposing for highlight – this way you’re not going to lose any detail in the highlights and you can bring up the detail in the shadows later in post.

Photographing in harsh light can feel intimidating and scary, but it doesn’t have to be! Keep these tips and tricks on hand for your next midday shoot.

And if you’re ready to take it to the next level?

Then it’s time to master your craft and thrive like the professional you are in any lighting situation under the sun (literally). Doors are back open for our fan favorite course – the Harsh Light Workshop. You’ll learn why it’s crucial to master harsh lighting, how I use harsh light to enhance my portfolio, how to use reflectors to your advantage in a variety of settings, AND MORE!

And if you want the full package? Here’s your one stop shop for becoming the ultimate photographer – The Ultimate Photographer Bundle. It’s time to get your hands on some of our best selling, client raving, courses for photographers. Covering everything you need to know from artistic voice + vision to tricky midday harsh lighting to lightroom + photoshop. No matter what it is you’re struggling with.. we’ve got you covered.

* All photos edited with the creamy preset from the True to Color preset pack!