Since my entire area is flooded right now, I feel like focusing on sunshine. Something we desperately need. I would say “imagine you’re on an island,” but I actually am … no one can get in and no one can get out. But at least our house is safe, and so are we!
So, for today’s post, lets talk about Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun (please, please, please shine down on me)! Sometimes he’s great to work with —
— and sometimes he’s a jerk.
Although you can edit it so it looks like you did it on purpose.
Like so:
The key is to just not let him mess with you in the first place. I prefer to find shady spots. But you have to be careful the shady spot you find isn’t “spotty.” You don’t want the sun shining through leaves and making weird splotches on people’s faces.
You don’t want squinty eyes, either. Don’t face the person toward the sun. Their eyes will water, they will squint, and your photos won’t look very cute. We want everyone bright-eyed and happy! No weird shadows on their faces!
Another thing that helps you out is the timing of the shoot. Don’t set them for mid-afternoon, when the sun is highest in the sky. He can cause more problems when he has more sky to work with. My preference is to set photoshoots for the morning (unless you’re going for that sunset shot, and that’s a whole ‘nother blog post). In the summer, morning shoots can also be a lifesaver because it’s usually before it gets too hot!
Ok, let’s recap!
How To Work With Mr. Sun:
- Find a shady spot to shoot
- Once you find that shady spot, make sure there aren’t weird shadows being cast on their faces by the sun shining through a tree, for example.
- Don’t face people toward the sun. They will squint.
- Aim to book shoots in the morning (unless you’re going for that sunset shot).
Want more? Feel free to check out more of Kansas City Photography’s “How To” series!
- Shoot ‘Through’ Things
- How To Deal With the Weather
- How To Do A Photoshoot With Kids
- How To Do A Photoshoot With Pets
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