How To Survive A Photoshoot At 12 Noon

If you're a portrait photographer and have any client base at all, I'm sure you've been in the situation where you've had to shoot in "less-than-ideal" lighting. I recently had a client tell me that her children simply only behaved in the middle of the day, so we could not shoot at either of the early morning or later evening times I suggested. (If only they understood Golden Hour).

SO, I've comprised a few tips that I have learned from personal experience so that you too can survive a photo shoot at 12 noon.

1 // Find Some Shade

Shade is always the safest option when you are stuck with bad lighting. The first thing I do when I get to a shoot location is I look around at all the LIGHT. Where is the shade? Where is the sun? If you are able to find some shade, go to it. This will allow you to achieve the desired softer look in your photos, while allowing for even light to reach your subjects.

2 // Avoid Spotty Light

Spotty light is almost worse than harsh light. This is another huge thing to look for when scouting out your lighting situation. If you find shade under a tree or something similar, be aware that you could very well be looking at spotty light. It may look like shade at first, but if you get your subject in that shade and notice little pieces of light shining through tree branches or whatnot, THIS IS BAD. We do not want our subjects looking like dalmatians. Avoid this type of light at all costs.

3 // Get In Front Of The Sun

Even in the middle of the day, it's likely that the sun is not exactly perpendicular above your head. If you can, try getting the sun behind your client's heads. That way, you will be able to achieve a softer look in your photos even in the harshest of light. The backlight will provide some interesting light to enhance the value of your photo compared to the flatness of the shade lighting.

4 // Go Inside

If you have a building nearby, GO INSIDE. Indoor photography can be very stylish even if you aren't a studio style photographer. You can have much better luck at getting nice lighting by turning off the (usually horrid) interior lights and using the natural light coming through the windows. This will help you to nail your white balance and achieve a light and airy look.

5 // Shoot Manual & RAW

If you are not already doing so, be sure to shoot in manual mode & to shoot in RAW. This will help the post-production part of your workflow because you will be able to have better control of your photos while editing, and you'll be able to have less editing to do. By shooting in manual mode, your DSLR will be able to more accurately represent color tones & by shooting in RAW, you'll be able to make more drastic edits without noticeably degrading the quality of your images.

I'd love to hear your feedback, and your other tips for photographing clients at 12 noon so that we can learn & grow together. Be sure to click "Follow" for some more photography tips and tricks in the near future. Let's learn together!

Photo Credits: All photos are either taken by myself, Sarah Rodebush, or are from a creative commons website called Unsplash.com. More information can be provided on request.