Use hard light Agreatwaytoachievestrikingeffects
Hardlightisoftenfoundinthesummer,
wherecloudorhazeisminimalandthesunis
highinthesky.Shootingabroad,thislightis
morecommon,andalthoughnotidealduring
midday,thelaterafternoonhourscreate
predictableandsofterhardlight.Hardlight
becomesmoreflatteringthelowerinthesky,
soshootinginthemorningorafternoonis
recommended.Wherepossible,Igenerally
avoidoverhead,exposedsunfrom11am
throughto 2 or3pmdependingonthetime
ofyear.
Usinghardlighttocreateportraitsisa
totallydifferentbeasttosoft/diffusedlight.
Hardlightismuchbrighterandcreatesmuch
hardershadows.Itoftencausessquinting
ifyoufaceyourmodelintothelight,andis
typicallylessflattering,andwithhighcontrast
inexposurebetweenthelightandshadows,
balancinglightismorechallenging.Hard
lightcanbeusedalone,orwiththerightflash
canbeoverpoweredorbalanced.Althoughtypicallythistypeoflightmakescreating
portraitsalittlemorechallenging,itcanalso
producestrikingandengagingimages.
Workingwithhardlightcreatesseveral
differentoptionstothephotographer.Youcan
usethehardlight,andshootagainst,adding
flashtooverpowerorinfilltheshadows.You
canfaceyoursubjectintothelight,oryou
canuseshadeordiffusiontosoftenthelight
oreliminateitalltogether.Howyouapproach
itwillultimatelydependonthelocation,your
equipment,thesubject,framingandyour
desiredoutcome.Learningtousehardlight
canberewarding,andfun,onceyoulearnhow.
Workinginthislightrequiresthought
aroundthewiderimage,understandingwhat
fallsintoshadeandlightinthebackground
willhelpyousetup.Darkerorshaded
backgroundswillprovidecontrastagainstthe
hardsun,andonceyouexposeyoursubject
forthesun,willoftenappearcompletelyblack.
Inthiscase,payingparticularattentiontowhere and how the light falls on the face is
imperative. Where backgrounds are lighter and
you are in open sun, the sun lights the entire
scene and likely bounces from the surfaces
around you. In this case, the exposure is even
across the image, so turning your subject into
the sun will create balanced light.
In the image above, a shard of light with
a dark background creates light on the face,
and all but eliminates areas of shadow behind.
In this condition, expose for the highlights,
and place your subject carefully so that the
features you want to be seen are in the light.
In the tight crop, this focuses the attention on
the face, and although general not considered
flattering the hard light actually blurs out
details and lines, making the skin look smooth.
However, if your subject faces directly into the
sun they may struggle to keep their eyes open
or may appear to squint. Counting them to an
eye open as you press the shutter can help to
get the shot, or facing them slightly away fromTechniques