Bright sunlight is one of the most challenging weather conditions to shoot in. If you’re not careful, your photos can come out wildly overexposed, brutally underexposed, or way too contrasty and filled with harsh, unappealing shadows. But challenging doesn’t mean impossible. With the right approach, it’s still feasible to shoot incredible images, even with the sun beaming down from directly overhead. 

Embrace it

Shooting high-contrast images with hard shadows is only a problem if you’re trying to shoot something else. On the other hand, if you want to shoot dramatic photographs, there are few better times than on bright sunny days. 

With that said, getting the best results still requires a bit of skill and planning. If you shoot film, now is the time to break it out. Film stocks tend to handle high contrast lighting better than digital cameras. They’re harder to over-expose and, even if you do, the highlight roll-off is nicer than the bright white you get from over-exposed digital photos. 

Related: How to get a blurry background in portraits

If you are shooting digital images, don’t overexpose your images in an attempt to fill the shadows. You will blow your highlights before you get good results from the shadows. Expose for the brighter parts of the scene, and accept that you will have some dark zones that add to the atmosphere. 

Pay particular attention to how shadows fall on your subject. If you’re shooting portraits, your subjects’ face is likely to be the most important area of the image. As long as an ugly, unintended shadow doesn’t cut across it, you can get away with a lot in the background of the image. 

For landscapes, harsh sunlight has a way of bringing out texture. Rather than try to avoid it, look at ways to use it to add depth and interest to your images. Fairly boring scenes can come to life this way. 

When you’re processing your images, consider converting them to B&W. It can be easier to get strong high contrast images without having to worry about things like color balance. 

Avoid it

If you don’t want to shoot overly stylized images or have to get something different for a client or assignment, then avoiding the sun can be easier than you think. Just look for the smallest bit of shade. Even getting under a tree, behind a wall, or under a doorway can give you enough cover to get great images. 

In this situation, a lens hood is really useful as it will allow you to position your subject in the shade while you stand in the sunlight without getting any unwanted lens flare. 

While a bright sun overhead might not make for the easiest lighting conditions outdoors, it can make for some of the best ones indoors. Instead of fighting the sun outside, head somewhere public with a big window—like a café, bar, or even a shop—and enjoy the wonderfully soft, directional light you get streaming in. It’s perfect for portraits and even things like macro photography. 

Overcome it

If you can’t accept it and can’t dodge it, then the last remaining option for shooting in bright sunlight is to overcome it. And, with the right gear, this can be easier than you think. 

A large 5-in-1 reflector is your go-to bit of kit here. You can use it as a scrim to soften and block the worst of the sunlight from your subject, or use it to create an impromptu bit of shade. You can also use it to bounce some fill light to brighten up your subject and reduce the overall contrast of the image. Really, depending on the shot you’re trying to take, it can basically provide whatever you need. The biggest downside is that to make the most of it, it helps to have someone else—like an assistant or friend—around to hold it in position. 

Alternatively, an (ideally off-camera) flash can be used to fill in the worst of the shadows on your subject. Unfortunately, this only helps when you are up close with your subject. For landscapes, nature, or sports images, it’s often impossible to place a flash where you would need it. It also involves more setup, planning, and gear-hauling. For professionals, it’s the most reliable solution but for a lot of regular shooters, it can be challenging. 

Even if you don’t have a reflector or flash to hand, you aren’t entirely out of luck. In cities, shiny glass-fronted buildings or large metal objects can double as fill light. That bright overhead sun will basically bounce off anything. The next time you’re out shooting, try it—it’s surprisingly effective. 

Be prepared to fail

Whatever strategy you choose, bright sunlight still presents its challenges. If you don’t have a lot of experience shooting in it, you should be prepared to get a few unsatisfactory images while you learn how to handle harsh shadows and high-contrast lighting on location. But as with all things in photography, it’s those bad practice photos that lead to the good ones later on.

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If you’ve ever tried to snap photos of fireworks with your phone, you probably weren’t very happy with the results. Thankfully, with a bit of care and the right tools, you can get much better images. 

Use the right lens

While it’s tempting to zoom in when you’re taking photos of things like fireworks, it’s a bad idea. Modern smartphones have different lenses, but also different sensors. Take the iPhone 13 Pro. It has three 12-megapixel cameras: the main wide-angle, an ultra-wide-angle, and a telephoto. All three have very different specs. 

The ultra-wide-angle lens has an aperture of f/1.8 while the telephoto lens has an aperture of f/2.8. Both use 1/3.4-inch sensors. The main wide camera, however, has an aperture of f/1.5 and a 1/1.65-inch sensor. Not only does its wider aperture let in more light, but its larger sensor (it’s got roughly 3.6 times more area) is better able to capture it. It doesn’t matter that all three have the same 12-megapixel resolution, at night when you’re shooting fireworks, the main camera is far superior. 

So, whatever smartphone you use, the best camera to use is normally the default one. (If you want to dig deeper, check the specs.) 

Control the camera manually

Your smartphone is probably great at automatically snapping photos in most situations, but night-time fireworks may not be one of them. To get the best results you need to be able to set both the shutter speed and ISO. 

The exact settings will vary depending on your situation, but some good values to start with are:

• Shutter Speed: 1 Second to 5 Seconds.
• ISO: 25 to 400. 

Oh, and make sure the flash is turned off. 

Some smartphones have default camera apps that allow you to manually adjust settings. If not, you have plenty of options. On iPhone, check out Manual ($3.99) and ProCamera. ($14.99). We also love Halide Mark II (but at $12/year after a free trial, it’s harder to recommend if you don’t take a lot of smartphone photos). On Android, Open Camera (free), Camera FV-5 ($3.95), and ProShot ($4.99) are all also worth checking out. 

Keep your smartphone steady

With shutter speeds between one and five seconds long, any optical image stabilization in your smartphone is going to be working pretty hard.

If you have a smartphone tripod (we love Joby’s GorillaPod), it’s a good idea to use it. Otherwise, go with a slightly shorter shutter speed (say, one or two seconds), hold your smartphone close, and brace your arms against your torso.

Get set up in advance

If you’re standing around waiting for the fireworks to start (or even better, are involved in getting the display going) then get your smartphone prepped and ready to go ahead of time. Work out where you want to stand, where you want to rest your tripod (or balance your smartphone), and where you need to focus. This is also an opportunity to dial in your settings and try out a few different shutter speeds to see how they work with the environment you’re in. 

Keep shooting

It’s unlikely you’ll get an amazing firework photo the first time you tap the shutter button. The tenth, though? Much more likely! 

While you won’t be able to use burst mode if you have your shutter speed set to a second or slower, you can still keep tapping away at the shutter button yourself. If you find this is adding camera shake, consider using a short shutter delay.

The more photos you shoot, the better you’ll get at timing them, so don’t be afraid to experiment! Depending on your shutter speed, you will need to take your photo sometime between the firework launching and its initial explosion, to get the best results.

Edit your photos

Here at PopPhoto, we’re big believers that a photo isn’t done until you have edited it. Open the image in your favorite editing app (even if it’s Instagram), increase the saturation, and maybe the contrast. Crop it so it’s well framed and you’re good to go!

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This summer, it’s nearly certain that people will be heading to the great outdoors. As we look for ways to escape the heat and pandemic woes in crowded cities, many of us will turn to national parks and other public lands for respite. And, plenty will bring their cameras (or, at least, smartphones) along.

That begs the question: With a large number of folks eager to enjoy nature and document their trips, how can you be a respectful photographer while still getting that shot you’ve been dreaming of? We chatted with a public affairs officer at the U.S. Forest Service, who gave handy advice on how to enjoy your summer trip while keeping the environment and fellow travelers in mind. 

Related: How landscape photographer Erin Babnik captures epic photos without leaving a trace

How to be a good photographer and visitor: Use common sense

Common courtesy

Let’s be honest. Nothing ruins a good view more than a rude fellow visitor. Forest Service Public Affairs Officer Scott Owen recalls the time he visited Canyonlands. As he admired the landscape, another tourist approached and asked him to step aside.

“This gentleman comes up and goes, ‘Excuse me, sir….you’re in my way for my selfie.’ I wasn’t taking a picture. I was just standing there. That really rubbed me the wrong way,” Owen remembers. “I wasn’t real close. I wasn’t blocking the whole thing. I was just standing in one place, but the sunlight wasn’t good enough for his Instagram post.”

When it comes to sharing public lands, Owen highlights that common sense is the best guideline. With any beautiful location, it’s reasonable to expect that you’re not the only one who’s curious. Have respect for others who are coming to enjoy the space. Chiefly, don’t be a view hog, wait your turn, and don’t obstruct trails. If you drop your gear bag in the middle of a path, don’t be mad if someone steps on it.  

“We want to make sure that we’re being good stewards and that we’re not just out there to take that splendor away from somebody. I understand that there’s a need to get a picture, but just try to be a little bit flexible. Try to have awareness of others,” Owen says. Aside from common sense, be sure to also make note of written and posted guidelines. Clean up after yourself and make sure you have the necessary permits, if applicable. 

Treat wildlife with respect

Remember, wild animals are exactly that, and the place you are visiting is their habitat. It’s easy to forget this in parks and spaces where wildlife may be more habituated to humans, but at the end of the day, it’s still better to be safe than sorry. 

“Always be aware of wildlife out there, especially if you’re out on a trail without many people around,” Owen advises. “Even if the wildlife seems like they’re ‘tame,’ they’re still wild. Have a plan in case you come into contact with those animals. Know what you’re supposed to do and have the appropriate equipment there to make sure that you stay safe.”

Use the buddy system

Venturing into the great outdoors poses inherent risks. If you’re planning an excursion, use the buddy system and don’t go alone. Take someone with you and devise a check-in plan with someone back home. That way, in the event that an emergency does befall you, people know to check in and call for help.

What is commercial photography and do you need a permit? 

“Permit required” might be two of a photographer’s most dreaded words. However, their necessity isn’t arbitrary. Permits allow agencies to regulate often-times popular locations and ensure that the land is protected. 

“We want to make sure that we’re doing mitigation there so that other members of the public can see something that’s similar to it,” Owen explains. “It’s there to protect members of the public because we’re all public. We all own the land.”

So, what does that mean for the average citizen? According to Owen, if you’re just coming for personal enjoyment, click away (but keep in mind the common sense discussed above). 

Photographers engaging in commercial activity will usually need a permit. Though “commercial” is defined as any form of compensation (whether that means money or bartered services, ads you run on your YouTube channel, affiliate links included in the content when you share it, etc.), it’s best to call the field office that manages the land you’ll be visiting to clarify if a permit is necessary. Due to this ruling in which a federal judge ruled the National Park Service’s permitting system unconstitutional, policy across land management agencies in the U.S. is now in a gray area. 

However, not all public land is managed by the National Parks Service; others include the Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Determining who manages the land you’ll be visiting dictates whose policy you’ll need to comply with. Remember, doing your due diligence is always worth it.

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A physicist by training and vocation, Chris Tennant brings a scientific mind-set to his landscape photography, yet he composes his images like an artist. In his photo practice, Tennant often uses novel methods to add unusual flair to his nature images. Here he shares five key tips that will help you keep things visually interesting in the field.

1. Get in Close Even if your subject matter isn’t unusual, you can add drama with an extreme close-up, as Tennant did with a globe thistle bloom (left) found in a botanical garden. “The idea is to make something small look imposing by getting very close to the subject,” he explains. He used a 100mm f/2.8 Canon EF macro lens on his Canon EOS 5D Mark II. “The macro forces you to look at common objects in a completely different way,” he says. “It’s a liberating way of seeing them. Just walking around a backyard or a garden, it can open up a whole new world of possibilities.”

While this shot has a circular distortion that almost looks like a fisheye effect, “there’s no fisheye lens involved,” Tennant says. “It’s just that I’m very close and shooting a round, spherical flower with a shallow depth of field.” The latter was for both aesthetic and practical reasons. “If you’re shooting that close to something with a hand-held camera,” he says, “you need a fast shutter speed [1/200 sec in this case], so you need to shoot pretty wide open—this is f/3.5—which in turn gives you the shallow depth of field.”

This seeming depth limitation can be useful in close-up shots, says Tennant. “It allows you to point the viewer to a specific location where you want the focal point to be, and it creates a lot of interesting elements you can work with on the edges.”

Such experimentation can liven up specimens found anywhere, as with Tennant’s macro flower shot below. “I was walking around in my parents’ backyard in upstate New York, just getting very close to things and looking at them in a different way,” he recalls, adding that you don’t necessarily need a macro lens for close-up magic. “There have been times I’ve bought a bouquet of flowers at the store, and just setting those up can provide hours of material as well.”

2. Blur It Up When done right, camera movement can lend a dash of artistry to otherwise stagnant subjects. “You can present a more abstract or surreal version of a scene, where you’re using the composition and the colors or shapes almost as brushes,” Tennant says. He took the image above “in a forest with very regularly spaced trees, with some foliage on the bottom. By getting a longer exposure [1/3 sec], and quickly panning the camera vertically, you get this ethereal effect.”

Prepare to shoot plenty of exposures, though. He notes that this keeper was one of several dozen snaps he took at the location in northern Oregon. “You’re not sure what you’ll get, and that’s part of the fun,” he says. “Each shot, depending on how I’m moving, is going to be different.”

You can also create abstract art with a sequential composite, as in the shot at right. “I made use of a camera feature that’s becoming more common: multiple exposures,” Tennant says. “You take five or six frames and the camera can automatically blend them. Here I looked down on these flowers and centered on the bloom in the middle, took a picture, rotated the camera just a bit, took another, rotated it, and did that a few times to create that motion.”

But as with abstract music, such randomness needs a modicum of design to work. “You need a contrast in color or in shape. Otherwise it’s just going to look like a blurred blob,” Tennant says. “In the shot on top, there’s the dark trees versus the light background and the green foliage. In the one on the bottom, I tried to contrast the green leaves, the white flowers, and the blue flowers. If it’s all one uniform color, it just looks messy.” Instead, he made this image look psychedelic. No special substances involved, though—“just high on life,” he adds with a laugh.

3. Stretch the Time Another way to add arresting effects to images is with long exposures, as in these two contrasting shots. “With the cloud image I hadn’t anticipated doing a long exposure because it was a bright afternoon, and that means that there’s a danger of blowing your picture out with too much light,” Tennant recalls. “But then I saw how fast the clouds were moving, and I realized that the direction they were moving, toward me, would make a really dynamic image.”

To block much of the daylight, Tennant used the 10-stop B+W 77mm 3.0 ND 110 neutral-density filter, which afforded him a 60-second exposure at f/18. “With no filter, if I metered the scene, the camera would say the shutter speed should be 1/100 [sec]. That’s about as slow as I could go,” he says. “A neutral-density filter, if you hold it up, you can barely see through it. It’s very dark so it attenuates the light coming into the sensor.”

In similar light, Tennant used the same filter for the seaside shot above. But here, his 90-second exposure achieves the opposite effect: The moving water appears frozen. “The long exposure basically eliminates any motion in the water,” Tennant says, “so you get this surreal, smooth, glassy-looking surface. When you first see it, you might wonder what you’re looking at for a moment.” He heightened the mystery by converting the color image file to black-and-white in post.

“For nighttime long exposures, of course, you use no [ND] filter,” Tennant says. “It’s really fun to experiment with star trails, but that’s a whole different ball of wax: Your exposures might go on for several minutes. In any case, a tripod and a remote shutter trigger are key—keep your hands off the camera as much as possible. And of course it’s important to have movement in the scene.”

4. Try a Tele In combination with lens choices, the frame itself is a powerful tool. These two images were captured from the exact same spot, perched at the top of Lindy Point in Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia. “The vertical picture is the larger view of the scene, and then above is the zoomed-in portion,” Tennant explains.

“I wanted an alternate view but I’m technically not cropping the same shot,” he’s quick to add. “If I cropped the lower image and blew it up to the proportion of the upper one, it would probably be a pretty poor-quality image because I’d be grabbing such a tiny part of the frame.”

Instead, Tennant changed lenses and zoomed in. For the wider shot he used a 16–35mm f/2.8L II Canon EF ultrawide-angle lens; for the detail of the trees he switched to a 24–105mm f/4L zoom, fully extended to the telephoto end of the range. He used both lenses on his tripod-mounted 5D Mark II at similar exposures, but the different focal perspectives make the two photographs look as if they came from unrelated locations.

“I think of it as kind of majoring the minors or looking at a piece rather than the whole scene,” Tennant says. “It creates a different aesthetic. Sometimes it takes a little more thought to figure out what to exclude. If I want a tighter composition that’s also interesting, what do I need to leave out of the frame?”

5. Let the Sunshine In While your Photo 101 textbook probably advises against it, “shooting into the sun can be very useful,” Tennant says. “It’s also very tricky.” To succeed, make sure the sunlight is at least partially obscured by objects and/or its direction. “You don’t want to shoot straight into high-noon sun,” Tennant says. “It’s not good for you or your camera. Go for the edges of the day, either sunrise or sunset, when the sun is low on the horizon.”

He photographed the scene at right in late afternoon light in New York’s Adirondack State Park. “There’s just a little bit of sun peeking through to let you know it’s there, and to create that sunburst effect, which can add a nice touch to compositions,” Tennant says. “This light is warm and inviting. And it’s generally what the light is doing to the landscape around you that makes it ideal.”

Shooting in the other direction with the sun at your back, the forest would still look lovely. “But imagine that scene without the focal point of the sunburst—it would lack a little something,” he says. “It draws your eye to the image.” For shots like this, Tennant uses no filter—he even removes his customary circular polarizer. “Shooting into the sun, it’s better not to have any filter, because it can produce flare,” he says. “The more surfaces that the sun is going through, in your lens elements and filters, the more it creates those little flares and yellow spots in different parts of the image that can be distracting.”

The brightness of the sunburst called for both a fast shutter speed (1/200 sec) and a small aperture (f/22). “You might get a similar effect at f/11,” Tennant says, “but the idea in stopping it down so much is that’s when you get the interesting sunburst refractions. It has to do with the way the aperture blades in the lens work. And you just don’t get the rays coming out of that circle, that sunburst, when you’re shooting wide open.” Spoken like a true scientist—and true artist.

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Lead the eye in

One of the most effective ways to create a powerful composition is to use visual elements to lead the viewer’s eye into the scene. Leading elements can be just about anything—lines, curves, or a progression of shapes. Leading lines that stretch from foreground to background are especially powerful, propelling the viewer into the scene. In the image at left, I used an outgoing wave to act as a leading line. Other shapes placed in the foreground can do the same: a curving river can compel the eye to meander throughout the frame, whereas a triangle-shaped rock can point into the composition. Multiple elements can more subtly encourage the viewer to explore the photograph—a near-to-far, bottom-to-top visual progression is often particularly effective.

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Find a good foreground

Foregrounds add depth, and the best add punch, too. Providing a point of reference, they can simplify chaotic scenes. At this placid pool of water during a fiery sunrise, I backed up to incorporate the curving shoreline. Its shape frames the reflection of the mountains, enhancing the composition and adding depth to the image.

Engage the eye with repeating patterns.

People are naturally attracted to patterns, part of our ability and biological need to organize our chaotic world. When the eye explores one, it tends to want to visit each and every repeated element; accordingly, the savvy photographer can use repeating shapes and colors to encourage the viewer to visit multiple parts of the composition. Visual repetition gets the viewer’s eye moving, engaging interest and creating compositional energy.

On the flip side, repetition can also help create harmony and balance, adding structure to a composition, as well as to create order in an otherwise chaotic scene.

You can also create effective images by making the pattern itself the entire focus of the composition, as I did with the quirky shapes and patches of color in the little pond seen here. The less dynamic shapes of the lily pads floating in the water fade to the background, providing general structure and order for an otherwise energetic, chaotic collection of visual elements.

Emphasize your subject.

Use visual elements to direct your viewer’s attention to what’s important. Framing is one effective tool for simplifying and focusing interest. Examples include arcing tree branches, barn windows, and natural arches, but frames can also be made by arranging multiple visual elements around a subject. Sometimes it works best if there is an element of contrast between the frame and the subject—silhouetted trees around a sunlit mountain peak, for example.

Another way to draw attention to your primary subject is through the use of light: spotlighting, or a dose of brightness behind your subject, can focus the viewer. For this image, I selected a position that framed the monkey with a pattern of out-of-focus leaves lit by the setting sun. A hint of that light on the monkey also helps focus viewers’ attention.

Create visual energy.

Look for ways to convey a sense of energy. Use lines or shapes that tilt or point in opposite directions; think of a line of trees whose branches reach at differing angles into a cloud-filled sky. But be careful: Too much energy going one way and not enough going the other can look unbalanced—a classic example is an animal running out of the edge of the frame rather than into it. Long exposures of moving elements can also convey a sense of energy; motion blur creates compositional lines and shapes, adding further interest. Here, the streaking clouds form staggered, diagonal lines, which add energy to the frame.

You can find many more techniques like these in Contributing Editor Ian Plant’s new book, Visual Flow: Mastering the Art of Composition.For more info, and galleries of his images, visit ianplant.com.

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It is often said that light is the lifeblood of photography. What exactly does that mean? Aside from the obvious fact that without illumination there would be no image, the quality and characteristics of light greatly determine the visual impact that a photograph will have with a viewer. Light, for better or worse, can turn an expertly composed scene into something bland and boring—or transform the ordinary into the extraordinary and magical.

For the novice, determining the difference between good and bad light can be confusing. There really is no objective scale for “good” and “bad,” only various degrees of accommodating light for different photographic situations. The key to mastering light is knowing how to match the available natural light to the appropriate scene, subject, or situation.

To help illuminate this process, let’s focus on three basic attributes of light: intensity, color, and direction.

The Brightness Factor

Intensity refers to the volume or amount of light the scene or subject receives from the sun, the primary light source for outdoor photography. Light of high intensity is most closely associated with the bright sun at midday, when many photographers put their cameras away and take their naps.

Pejoratively referred to as harsh or even idle light, the bright midday sun is usable as long as the entire subject or scene is evenly illuminated, avoiding distracting shadows and bright highlights (as seen in my photo of a charging bear). Working with natural reflectors—such as the surface of a lake—can fill in the darker shadows and make for a more balanced exposure.

Light of low intensity is soft and diffused, ideal for revealing important details in intimate landscapes and macro photos. Cloudy and overcast skies create these conditions, and a bright, overcast, midday sky is the best scenario. Soft light evenly illuminates the scene, and its tonal range is compressed. Waterfalls and stream scenes are ideal in cloudy, low-intensity light, as long as the featureless white skies are omitted from the composition.

Bounced light and glow are forms of soft light reflected from either clouds or some other surface, such as buildings or canyon walls. Glow occurs when the sole source of light reflects from the sky, usually during the twilight hours immediately before sunrise and after sunset (as in the picture of cranes in flight). Depending on whether there are clouds, the light can turn colorful shades of pink, red, or gold. Glow and bounced light are similar to overcast light in that it is soft and creates muted shadows and highlights.

Chiaroscuro (an Italian term meaning “light-dark”) describes the interplay of both direct light and shadows across the landscape—essentially variations in light intensity within a given scene. This type of lighting has often been employed by master artists to help create a sense of depth in their paintings. Partly cloudy days, with mottled sunlight cast across the landscape, create this condition, which can be utilized for a distinctive textured effect.

Powerful Hues

The light’s color can have strong implications for the impact of an image. The color temperature—its coolness or warmth—can be “corrected” by the white balance setting either in the digital camera (if shooting JPEGs) or on your computer during the processing and conversion of RAW files. But don’t be too hasty in removing these useful color shifts.

Cool light is most common during the “blue hour”—about an hour before sunrise and an hour after sunset—and in shade on bright days. Twilight blues add a moody, meloncholy feeling to an image (as in the photo of the blue mountains), while a snow-covered hillside or icy glacier can be rendered cool to give the psychological feeling of physical coldness.

As long as there are no clouds blocking the sun, the “golden hour” can flood a scene with a low-angled, warm glow both flattering to subjects and pleasing to the eyes (as in the shot of the grazing antelopes). Viewers tend to respond more favorably to warm images than cool ones.

The light near sunrise or sunset may provide the opportunity to include both warm and cool light in the same image. Look for blue tones in the shadows that contrast nicely with the warm yellows and oranges from the available sunlight. You can use color contrasts—such as the combination of blue and yellow in the Torres del Paine photo—to render an image much more dynamic and captivating than a strictly warm or cool scene.

Pointing the Way

There are basically three variations to consider with light direction: front light, sidelight, and backlight. Front lighting occurs when the sun is directly behind you, the photographer. If your shadow is pointing at or near your subject, you can be sure you are getting full front light. While this is relatively easy to manage—as the scene or subject is evenly illuminated and there are no shadows to worry about—the results can be boring and predictable, with little drama, and the subject often appears flat or two-dimensional.

Sidelighting—the effect of the sun illuminating the scene at about a 90-degree angle—is perfect for emphasizing texture, depth, or patterns. Sidelight can create the illusion of three-dimensional depth by creating separation between different elements in the scene. For example, a sand dune, where the ripples and texture in the sand are important elements in the image, is best captured with strong sidelighting.

Backlit scenes or subjects create numerous photographic difficulties—which is why beginners tend to avoid them—but they can also offer visual rewards. Backlighting can create highly dramatic effects, provided a little care is taken in the process. Subjects with translucent materials—such as grasses, fall foliage, or animal fur—can come alive with a gorgeous backlit glow or rim light.

One of the difficulties photographers encounter when using backlight is exposure. If your subject is placed in front of a strong light source, the general tendency of any camera’s metering system is to render it as underexposed. Unless you actually intend to create a silhouette, adding 1 or 2 stops of light will preserve important details in the subject.

If the sun’s rays strike the front element of the lens when attempting a backlit scene, the results may include nasty flare, ghosting, or light fogging. A lens hood can help if the sun’s rays are at the right angle, but it will be of little use when shooting directly into the sun. Try shielding the lens from any direct sunlight with your hand, a hat, or a book, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the image. Otherwise, try positioning the sun behind a tree or other obstruction, if the composition allows for it.

The challenge is to adjust your approach to the situation at hand. Once you learn how to manage variances in the intensity, color, and direction of natural light, the world is your canvas.

South Carolina–based nature and travel photographer Richard Bernabe has written many photo books and leads workshops around the world.

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You can get lucky with light. Of course, you can buy expensive gear and study this essential craft at the feet of the masters, but sometimes your success with lighting will come down to a single variable: Being in the right light at exactly the right time.

But this success requires more than simple luck. You have to recognize great light when you see it and manage to leap into action to capture it. That’s how Theophilos Papadopoulos, a Greek high school teacher, bagged the beauty above.

Papadopoulos encountered the blossom as he walked along the waterfront of his hometown of Rethymno, Crete, early one morning in the middle of spring. The flower of the caper plant impressed the photographer with the uplifting arc of its perfectly formed stamens, the rare and delicate beauty of its overall color and form, and, yes, the dramatic natural light of its setting.

The flower was bathed in the soft glow of early dawn, but the light had enough hardness and direction to throw crisp shadows. In fact, he shot almost exactly at the moment the sun broke over the sparkling Aegean Sea.

The lighting at that specific place and time was well suited to this subject for a number of reasons. First, the warm tone of the dawning light helped strengthen the slight pink hue of the petals. Notice the telltale yellow-orange tint in the green leaves that surround the flower? This hints at how warm the light was. That warmth “pulled out all the detail that captivated me,” says Papadopoulos.

Second, because the sun was so low on the horizon, its beams were softened by layers of early morning haze. This overall diffusion opened up the scene so that the shadowed petal parts were not too dark and obscured in shadow.

Third, the light’s low angle also threw long hard-edged shadows of each stamen, which repeated their pattern, adding to the overall effect.

Papadopoulos also feels that reflections off the nearby water contributed to the beautiful light on this Flinders rose, as the flower is sometimes called.

Other tips for taking a similar picture under dawn sunlight:

• Use the smallest aperture possible for sharpness.
• Shoot the flower against shadows or a contrasting color so that the blossom stands out.
• Use manual focus to assure that the most important elements of your subject are sharp.

Using direct sunlight as your main light source is usually frowned upon because of its deep-shadowed contrast. If you get out early enough, though, dawn’s first rays can work for you, as proven by Theophilos Papadopoulos’s caper flower here. Using the direct light of a low-lying sun as it broke over a distant horizon, Papadopoulos needed no diffuser because the sunlight was adequately softened (and warmed) by layers of haze in the distance. Also, the sun’s light struck the plant directly (A), but also indirectly by reflecting off the nearby water (B), which effectively opened up the shadows. Papadopoulos shot with a Canon EOS 60D (C) and an EF-S 55–250mm f/4–5.6 IS II lens that he was able to focus close with the help of a 58mm Canon 500D close-up filter. “I used manual focus and aperture-priority in order to get as much of the flower sharp as possible,” says Papadopoulos. He was grateful for his lens’ built-in stabilizer, which helped produce a sharp image despite a somewhat slow shutter speed.

The post You Can Do It: Take Better Photos Using Direct Sunlight appeared first on Popular Photography.

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Whether you’re going out to shoot in a local park or taking a trip far from home, planning is the key to great autumn photography.

First, the basics: Don’t head out blind-check the internet for peak color in the area you’ll be photographing (www.fs.fed.us/news/fallcolors is a good resource), and check the weather forecast. Carry gear only for a single day, not the week. Arrive early and leave late. Keep your camera batteries charged, and carry extras.

Now, here are some of my favorite tips for this most colorful time of year.

1. Get The Classic Shot

Winding roads lined with flame-colored trees, old New England churches poised against azure skies, Colorado aspens glowing in late afternoon light. Sure, you could call them clichés, but these shots are classics for good reason: People love them. So don’t miss bagging the colorful scene right in front of you just because you’re obsessed with fi nding some new approach. The light early or late in the day is almost always best for timeless photos.

2. Just Add Water

At slow shutter speeds (1 sec or more) moving water blurs to silky smoothness. The foliage color reflected in it adds to the depth and richness of the photos. You’ll need a tripod to hold the camera steady, of course. In many instances, you may find the light too bright to set a slow shutter speed, even at your camera’s lowest ISO setting. A useful tool here is the Singh-Ray Vari-ND (neutral-density) filter, which lets you reduce exposure anywhere from 2 to 8 stops. These are expensive (starting at $340, street, depending on size), but you can economize by stacking a single-strength (3- or 4-stop) ND filter with a polarizing filter, which gives you 1 or 2 stops of increased density.

3. Use The Weather

If I had to wait for the weather to change, I’d never take any pictures. In the fall, use overcast days to shoot in deep woods-the cloud cover eliminates distracting shadows. If the sun is shining, use the early and late sun to backlight trees and create shadows for interesting effects. And never leave your polarizer at home-it works in any kind of weather.

4. Develop Tunnel Vision

Resist the urge to use wideangle focal lengths for all your autumn shots. I love shooting with supertelephotos of 400mm and 500mm to help isolate patterns, shapes, and colors in the forest. (If your DSLR has an APS-C sensor, focal lengths around 250 -350mm should work well.) For capturing wildlife set against the color of the trees, long lenses are indispensable. Tele zooms can be even more useful, allowing you to track an animal as it changes distance from the camera.

5. Look Down

This can be hard to do while walking around, taking in the glorious fall scenery, but you’ll be missing dozens of photo projects right at your feet. Most tripods today allow you to lower a camera to ground level to capture all sorts of still lifes. On an overcast morning, with the dew clinging to surfaces, your colors will really pop-set your white balance to Cloudy to avoid too-cool color casts.

6. Get Really Close

Now that you’re looking down, you may want to pack another piece of gear-a dedicated macro lens. Minitripods are great for getting to ground level, as are special accessories like the Kirk Low Pod ($150, street). Attach a ballhead to this neat device, grab the handle, a few kneepads, and a rightangle finder and go at it. Don’t have the funds for a macro lens, or just want to travel lighter? Canon makes frontmounting two-element close-up lenses that can turn your everyday zoom into an ad-hoc macro lens (starting from $75, street) . I use the Canon 500D Close-Up Lens on my 70-200mm f/2.8 AF Zoom-Nikkor with excellent results.

7. Make Abstracts

Here’s where you can really go beyond the classic fall shots. Look for bare trees against fuller backgrounds. Watch for reflections of sunlit trees in still waters. Try zooming during exposure, or making multiple exposures in the same frame, or using soft focus. Consider a slow exposure of leaves in circular motion in a pool of water. No matter what: Stay away from gaudy colors in postprocessing. I use Nikon Capture NX2 with Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 to adjust saturation, and when the reds get too intense I back off. The rest of the colors will follow.

With this being the peak time of the year for fall color we want to see what you’re photography skills have to offer. Send us a hi-rez image of your best Fall photo and we will pick the best to appear in this gallery and you will have the chance to be spotlighted in our Photo of the Day section of the website. Please send your photo (1) to [email protected].

Lars-van-de-Goor

Brent-Danley

Darren-Ryan

Frank-Ralph

Lei-Chen

Stan

Stan2

Dave-Kent

Christopher-A.-Kierkus

THE-ABSTRACT

THE-CLOSE-UP

MOVING-WATER

Bad-Weather

THE-CLASSIC

John

Alberto-Kraier

Bert-E.-McConnell

Carolyn-Abell-Hodges

David-Fanelli

Janice-D-Huyvetter

Jimmy-Swanton

Joe-Brown

Richard-Seeley

Ronald-Baker

Ron-Fischer

Teresa-J.-Perdue

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• Experiment with different times of the day to change the lighting in your photos. To emphasize texture, use front-lighting. Back-lighting will bring out shape.

• Move in close and experiment with angles.

• Use expanses of grass as a backdrop for shots of other subjects.

For more tips, check out Creative Grass Photography at AmateurSnapper.com.

The post Tip of the Day: Photographing Grass appeared first on Popular Photography.

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© Paul LeFevre

Even if there aren’t any planned post-Fourth of July firework displays in your area this week, it doesn’t mean you should point your camera away from the sky. You will have a great opportunity on Tuesday to test out your astrophotography skills by photographing a full moon, which is one of the best times to capture the moon with your camera. And to help prepare you for this event here are three easy tips, courtesy of the “3 Ways To Shoot the Moon” feature from the June issue of Popular Photography by Kathleen Davis, to ensure you get the best photos of one of the most notable fixtures in the night sky:

1. When the moon is full, follow the Sunny 16 rule. Because a full moon on a clear night reflects sunlight just like the earth on a clear day, avoid getting an overexposed ball or an underexposed foreground by setting your aperture to f/16. Determine your shutter speed using the formula 1/ISO. For example, if you’re shooting at ISO 200, the shutter speed should be 1/200 sec.
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2.** In other phases, open up the aperture. As the moon waxes and wanes, its brightness stays the same, but there is less light overall, so adjust by 2.5 stops in the first or third phases, and 10 or more stops when it has a thin crescent shape to get a good foreground exposure.

3. Get it early and late. The best time to capture the moon is 10 to 20 minutes before sunrise or after sunset. The moon is distinct then, but there is still enough light to capture detail in the foreground—a rising or setting full moon is best. Look for it directly opposite the sun in the sky (in the east at dusk and the west at dawn).

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