
Every portrait photographer seems to dread sunlight like it’s the devil. Why? Well, partly because it can be extremely un-flattering, but also partly because most photographers just don’t have a sure-fire method for using sunlight to get consistently acceptable results. Heck, if you can overcome the fear of harsh sunlight, sometimes a little touch of sun can make an image look even better than soft (but dull) shade!
In this video, we’ll cover basic tips on how to get consistent, flattering yet vibrant and dramatic portraits in almost any environment using a touch of sun for backlighting.
Matthew Saville
Matthew Saville is a full-time wedding photographer at Lin & Jirsa Photography, and a senior editor & writer at SLR Lounge.
Follow his personal wilderness adventures: Astro-Landscapes.com
See some of his latest wedding photography featured on: LinandJirsa.com
8 Comments
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Lightroom Presets
Modern Preset Pack
Warm and Vibrant Lightroom Presets
Give Your Images a Natural, Clean Style
Give Your Images a Natural, Clean Style
Mood Preset Pack
Dark & Moody Lightroom Presets
Warm, Organic, Boho, Wanderlust Style
Warm, Organic, Boho, Wanderlust Style
Crush Preset Pack
Bold and Vivid Lightroom Presets
Give Images a Punch with Deep Blues
Give Images a Punch with Deep Blues
Pastel Preset Pack
Bright & Airy Lightroom Presets
Refined Film Emulation
Refined Film Emulation
Retouching Tookit
Complete, Powerful Set Brushes and Tools
Retouch, Dodge and Burn and Much More
Retouch, Dodge and Burn and Much More
Latest Guides
Premium Education
SLR Lounge Premium
Access ALL SLR Lounge Education
1,500+ Lessons, 30+ Workshops
1,500+ Lessons, 30+ Workshops
Nice.
Oh wow. Great video. Thanks for the tips.
I’m for sure going to try some of this.
You guys do such a great job with your tutorials! Thanks!
Awesome tutorial. I rarely watch them anymore — but this was exceptional. Great tips and reminders!
[…] This image is from a previous tutorial about how to tackle the use of bright sun and deep shade when shooting portraits in a natural light environment. To view that tutorial, visit: slrlounge.com/three-tips-for-better-natural-light-portraits-using-the-sun […]
So simple, yet something I’ve always overlooked. Now I know why my rim light shoots never pop, I shoot them against a bright blown background.
Thank you for sharing these tips! I’m off to Mexico soon, and can’t wait to try it :)
Very nice job Matt.. Thanks for sharing..