People My sister's baby shower

[FowlersFreeTime]

I had the joy of taking photos at my sister's baby shower on the weekend, and I really struggled with taking photos in the harsh midday sun.
Here are a couple examples (JPG straight out of camera):

• ILCE-6400
• E 17-70mm F2.8 B070
• 28.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/1250 sec
• ISO 100

• ILCE-6400
• E 17-70mm F2.8 B070
• 26.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/1250 sec
• ISO 100

How do y'all deal with events where you have to take shots in harsh lighting? Do you ask your subjects to step under shade? Should I have under exposed? or do I just need to raise my shadows and move on?

Thankfully, many of my other shots were in the shade and worked much better.
Example (again, not yet edited):

• ILCE-6400
• E 17-70mm F2.8 B070
• 66.0 mm
• ƒ/3.2
• 1/640 sec
• ISO 100

 

[Blake81]

I am no expert on shooting in harsh light but I recall seeing somewhere that fill flash is helpful.

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

I edited that last picture in ON1 (which I recently purchased) and here is the result:

• E 17-70mm F2.8 B070
• 66.0 mm
• ƒ/3.2000000476837
• 1/640 sec
• ISO 100

To me, the end result looks a bit more vibrant without being overdone, though goodness knows I raised the shadows and lowered the highlights quite a bit.

 

[Deleted Member 5003]

Yes harsh light is a bugger.......

The question of fill light/flash is one of overcoming the natural enviromental/ambient brightness whilst providing a degree of exposure compensation and small amount of fill light from a flash unit to balance the ambient light, illuminate the subject, and remove/reduce any offensive shadows.

Professional photographers, at least in the past, used to spend a long time monitoring the ambient light then the reflected flash light from the subjects
face usually in order to set the strength of the flash unit(s) to balance the ambient and reflected light.

Its usually best if you have to shoot in harsh light to get a friend to model for a test shot or two to balance the light situation with minimised back
light, if it is not required for your composition, and set your fill strength accordingly...it is best to have a diffuser fitted to your mobile flash or on a stand if you are shooting in a static position to avoid harsh light from your flash...

I guess the quick and nasty solution is to expose for the highlight/ambient light by turning down your shutter speed and exposure compensation and set your fill light strength with a couple of test shots to get the subject illumination at the correct level...or use alternatively lightroom/photoshop as you seem to have done very effectively with your sisters photo.......

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

Yes harsh light is a bugger.......

The question of fill light/flash is one of overcoming the natural enviromental/ambient brightness whilst providing a degree of exposure compensation and small amount of fill light from a flash unit to balance the ambient light, illuminate the subject, and remove/reduce any offensive shadows.

Professional photographers, at least in the past, used to spend a long time monitoring the ambient light then the reflected flash light from the subjects
face usually in order to set the strength of the flash unit(s) to balance the ambient and reflected light.

Its usually best if you have to shoot in harsh light to get a friend to model for a test shot or two to balance the light situation with minimised back
light, if it is not required for your composition, and set your fill strength accordingly...it is best to have a diffuser fitted to your mobile flash or on a stand if you are shooting in a static position to avoid harsh light from your flash...

I guess the quick and nasty solution is to expose for the highlight/ambient light by turning down your shutter speed and exposure compensation and set your fill light strength with a couple of test shots to get the subject illumination at the correct level...or use alternatively lightroom/photoshop as you seem to have done very effectively with your sisters photo.......

Thanks Ray, I'm really trying to get more things "right in camera" so I don't have to spend such a long time in the editing software. Its a rewarding learning experience!

 

[Deleted Member 5003]

You are welcome Chris whenever, i have something to add value to your posts,
or respond to your questions I am more than happy to do so......

 

[Jeff A]

Simply stated, "Expose for the Highlights, Process for the Shadows" Quoted many times by Mark Galer.