How to Shoot in Harsh and Dim Lighting by Emily

Friday, October 05, 2012
I mentioned in my last post the importance of getting good lighting for pictures. But what about those less-than-perfect lighting situations where you are DYING to take a good picture? I shot a wedding last month where I ran into these two tricky lighting situations and thought I’d share how I conquered them!

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Middle-of-the-day pictures are tough. The sun is high in the sky, which means it can leave your subject with unflattering under eye shadows and a crazy over-exposed picture. No good!!

Try this:

ISO - 100
Aperture - f/2.8 to f/6
Shutter Speed - 1/600th to 1/1000th of a second

Also helpful: Reflector

You know how you always want to squint when the sun is really bright in your eyes? These settings are basically like “squinting” for your camera lens, it limits the brightness. And next is...

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Most photographers treasure the hour before sunset, but what about after? No need to pop out that little flash, try this first...

ISO - 400 - 600
Aperture - f/1.8
Shutter Speed - 1/60th of a second

We are trying to allow as much light into the camera as we possible can! A wide open aperture (imagine it's like opening your eye up super wide), a slower shutter speed to get all that light in, and a higher ISO should do the trick.

Was this helpful? Let me know in the comments what photography questions you have.
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10 comments:

  1. thank you soo much for sharing this! <3

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  2. thank you soo much for sharing this! <3

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  3. Thanks for the tips! I'm still learning how to operate me camera.
    ~Jessica
    http://jeansandateacup.blogspot.com/

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  4. Love these tips! I would love to read any more that you have!




    www.studentswife.com

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  5. Thanks, I always wonder about lighting at midday, also, hating it when the sun has my subjects squinting... eeek, thanks for the tips.

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  6. Kiri -- SO true. Sometimes I'll have my subject close their eyes before taking the picture, count down from three and shout "open!". It usually gets at least one squint-less picture. :)

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  7. happy wedding design
    http://www.ccchinachic.com/products/fashion/fashion-accessories/c-140/

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  8. for dusk pictures, if the shutter speed is slow to let more light in, how do you prevent blurry pictures? that is definitely my problem... thanks!!

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  9. I totally know how you feel! I once heard in a photography class that you shouldn't go below shutter speed 1/60th of a second -- anything slower will be blurry. That's pretty much a rule I've stuck to and it usually works just fine! Depending on the subject, you may have to bump it up a tad bit faster -- especially toddlers!!

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  10. thank you soo much for sharing this! <3

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