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Home: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers:
Shooting in low, direct sun

DarrenS
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Aug 18, 2007, 11:04 AM

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Shooting in low, direct sun	Can't Post

I see photographers shooting with clear skies and placing themselves with the sun to their back. This is wrong IMO. Although the light can sometimes be favorable you'll always get ugly squinting that way, among other bad things. It's best to shoot INTO the sun with your subjects' backs to it, then fill the heck out of the front.

Here's a photo I shot couple days ago which demonstrates this quite nicely. Notice the beautiful, natural hair lights. It was 6:30pm; sun fairly low and very strong. Yes the grass is burnt because we haven't had rain in a long time.

http://www.darrenscala.com/bestbridal.htm

RustyB
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Aug 18, 2007, 12:06 PM

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Re: [DarrenS] Shooting in low, direct sun [In reply to]	Can't Post

That looks real nice!

What did you use to light'em up?

Yeah, water is in short supply here, too. The shelves were already completely cleared of all bottled water yesterday when I went out for groceries.

Plenty of water on the way...

the People's Video Collective blog
wedding video and the means of production

DarrenS
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Aug 18, 2007, 1:13 PM

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Re: [RustyB] Shooting in low, direct sun [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks Rusty. Believe it or not it's a single bracket mounted SB-800 in fill mode. I'm tickled pink with Nikon's new flash system.

This is the driest summer I can remember. Haven't been out for groceries in about a month so not sure if the bottled water is gone here too. Probably. I'm lovin' the Arizona-like weather but we really do need some rain. <snip>

edit: forgot this is public Blush

(This post was edited by DarrenS on Aug 18, 2007, 2:02 PM)

RustyB
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Aug 18, 2007, 1:31 PM

Post #4 of 8 (669 views)
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Re: [DarrenS] Shooting in low, direct sun [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Thanks Rusty. Believe it or not it's a single bracket mounted SB-800 in fill mode. I'm tickled pink with Nikon's new flash system.....

Wow, that's amazing that's done with a single SB-800.

the People's Video Collective blog
wedding video and the means of production

Shadow
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Aug 19, 2007, 12:26 AM

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Re: [DarrenS] Shooting in low, direct sun [In reply to]	Can't Post

Yeah I've seen that a couple of times, but usually just from the friends who took on the photographer duties for the day, I see them posing in brutal lighting conditions and just shake my head. Squinting just doesn't make good photos.

__________________________

videogeek
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Aug 19, 2007, 4:44 PM

Post #6 of 8 (619 views)
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Re: [DarrenS] Shooting in low, direct sun [In reply to]	Can't Post

nice job on the composition Darren....

can I make a suggestion though>>> ??

When you Photoshop the background to be out of focus.. use the feather tool to make it blend more seemlessly...

But I did like the image... and you are absolutely right about the sun... !
S
S.
ckeck out the new blog!
http://wfdblog.blogspot.com
"If we only knew the real value of the day"
SEE YOU ALL AT VIDEO '09!

DarrenS
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Aug 20, 2007, 10:59 AM

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Re: [videogeek] Shooting in low, direct sun [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks 's'. I think what you're seeing is a weird effect from heat waves radiating off the black steel signage (downsample w/nearest neighbor doesn't help, either). That sign is a foot thick and it was at least 90 that day. Once I do process the image fully the red and blue distractions on either side will be removed. All I've done is add a slight vignette. Shot at 50/2.8 with two nd filters and one on-bracket flash. Thanks again!

AbracadabraTV
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Aug 28, 2007, 10:10 PM

Post #8 of 8 (535 views)
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Re: [DarrenS] Shooting in low, direct sun [In reply to]	Can't Post

I shoot in manual mode...take a shot of the background and get your settings...then perhaps back it off just a tad to darken it. Then, turn on the flash and shoot the scene with subjects in it and adjust the flash fill on the strobe to light them properly...works great for sunset shots.