Embrace Hard Light & Use it to Capture Epic Photos with High Contrast (VIDEO)
You’re missing out on some great opportunities if, like other photographers, you always avoid shooting in harsh middy sun. There’s no doubt that Blue Hour and Golden Hour can both be described as “prime time,” but hard light offers bold shadows and strong highlights that deliver dramatic imagery if you understand what to do.
Instructor Gil Kreslavsky is a well-respected shooter and educator who’s not shy about sharing his photography experiences, good or bad, and he begins today’s episode with an honest admission: “I used to be terrified by hard light. I could take good photos during Golden Hour or on an overcast day, but going out in high sun, well, no way. I just didn’t know how to deal with. it.” Sound familiar?
As his skills evolved, however, Gil developed an effective method for capturing compelling high- contrast images, and that’s what you’ll learn how to do in the next 12 minutes. Then you may agree with Gil’s statement that, “I’m actually happy when it’s sunny outside because it give me the opportunity to just go out and play,” and portfolio-worthy images usually follow.
Gil says that the first important step is to understand the limitations of a camera as compared the capabilities of human vision. In short, our eyes can simultaneously discern details in both bright and dark areas in a scene (and everything in between), but even the best DSLR or mirrorless camera falls far short when it comes to its ability for recording such an expansive dynamic range.
And this is one reason that any of the images we capture in hard light may appear far less impressive on the computer than they did through the viewfinder—unless your follow Gil’s straightforward advice for embracing hard light, controlling exposure to perfection, and capturing images with raw power.
By the time the video concludes you’ll think of harsh light as a welcome friend—not a frightening foe. Then take a close look at Gil’s informative YouTube channel where you’ll find more confidence-building tips and techniques.
We recently featured a related tutorial with another accomplished pro who demonstrates how to capture stunning outdoor photographs in any light by learning how ISO works, when to raise or lower it, and ways to avoid common image-killing mistakes.
