You may have heard that the best light for taking photographs occurs during a few hours after sunrise and before sunset when the light is angled and warm in color. Marvelous pictures can be made during these times, but in June and July about 8 hours of daylight separate the morning and evening periods of beautiful light. Wouldn't it be nice if there were ways to continue making great photographs all day long? There are!
You can be photographically productive during the middle of the day. Be aware that the techniques discussed below that use flash or reflectors work most effectively with subjects that are close to the camera and generally do not work for scenics or distance shots (unless you have an extremely large flash or reflector!).
Light during the middle of the day is not very good for several reasons. The bright sunlight coming from overhead creates dark shadows underneath surfaces, giving a harsh appearance to photographs. The difference in exposure between the shadow and highlight areas can easily exceed the capability of film or digital sensors to hold detail. Therefore, the image can lose detail in the highlights and shadows. Overhead light can cause some scenes to be flat and without depth or features, and the intense light washes out colors. Bright clear-sky days also have lots of blue light bouncing around that is particularly noticeable in the shadows. Use a warming filter or adjust the color balance of your digital camera to correct for this blue light. Because of the way light works during the middle of the day, techniques that add light to the shadows or reduce the contrast in a scene help produce better images.
Make use of clouds
The easiest way to photograph mid-day in softer light is to wait for a friendly cloud to diffuse the harsh sunlight, or to photograph on a day when there is a layer of clouds covering the sky. This soft cloud-diffused light can produce wonderful pictures without your having to buy or carry special equipment. All you need is patience! If you are unsure about the type of lighting you prefer, make a picture in bright sunlight (exposing for the highlights with slide film and digital) and a second picture when a cloud diffuses the sunlight.
Heavy overcast lighting can result in reduced contrast (a flatter image) that is easy to expose correctly. "Cloudy bright" or "high overcast" lighting intensifies colors in a scene; a heavier overcast filters out the blue light, and colors appear more saturated. The disadvantage to darker overcast light is the loss of shutter speed or depth-of-field, making the use of a sturdy tripod important. Clouds and overcast conditions can alter the light over wide areas, making it possible to shoot pictures of scenics as well as closer subjects.
Learn about fill flash
The electronic flash on some cameras can be used to "fill in" or add light to dark shadows, a technique called "fill flash." Fill flash can become complicated if you use flash units that don't automatically synchronize with your camera, and I suggest that you find a good book describing how to do it manually. Most new cameras with a built-in flash or external same-brand flash will automatically calculate fill flash for you. Typically, the flash should add light, which is 1 to 2 f-stops less than the ambient light level, to the shadows. Fill flash effectively allows the film or digital sensor to record detail in both highlights and shadows. The flash also adds a "catch light" to the eye for animal photos.
Flash is not a cure-all since reflective subjects can show unnatural highlights and backgrounds can influence the exposure. Once you learn how the fill flash system works on your camera, it can improve high-contrast images that otherwise could end up in the trash can. Depending on the subject's distance from the flash and the power of the flash unit, you can add from several f-stops down to a fraction of an f-stop of fill light to a subject.
Redirect existing light
Redirecting existing light to lighten shadows is an effective technique. Photographers use mirrors, aluminum foil, white cloth or paper, and collapsible reflectors to move light around. Shiny surfaces cast a bright, intense light that can be too obvious in some situations. If you try any of these techniques, strive for supplemental lighting that is not noticeable by the viewer (e.g., if you can tell extra light was used, you used too much).
Reflected light takes on the color of the reflecting surface. Gold reflectors are often used to add a "warm" pleasant tone to subjects. You can buy collapsible reflectors in silver, white, gold, or black (to subtract light in order to increase contrast), and they are easy to carry and use. The further the subject is from the reflector, the less light is received. Just as with fill flash, depending on the distance of the subject from the reflector, you can add from several f-stops to a fraction of an f-stop of light to a subject. We find the 22- to 32-in. collapsible reflectors most convenient. And here's an added bonus: reflectors don't use batteries!
Diffuse bright light
Diffusion screens are held between the sun and the subject to effectively scatter the sunlight to therefore reduce contrast. The scattered light "wraps around" objects and fills in shadows, in essence replicating a bright overcast sky condition. The collapsible white diffusion screens available in stores are convenient and easy to carry. They come in different sizes, but those over 40 in. in diameter become difficult to handle alone, especially in a wind. Diffusers are useful for small scenes and close-ups, that is, an area smaller than the size of the diffuser. The closer the diffuser is to the subject, the brighter and more diffuse the light appears, so try to hold the diffuser just outside the area seen in the viewfinder. Critters don't tolerate diffusers very well and quickly run for cover, but diffusers work very well for flowers and plants in nature photography. A diffuser usually takes one f-stop of light away from a scene. And again, no batteries!
Move the subject
In some cases, moving the subject to better lighting conditions works well if the subject will not be damaged or harmed by the move (this technique is not for wildflowers and fragile animals). Flowers cut from your garden are excellent subjects for this technique, as are cooperative people. Indirect, soft light coming through a window often provides just the right combination of light and shadow to make a portrait outstanding. A large picture window can be ideal.
Working inside a building has advantages since it is often cooler and there is no wind. Set the camera for maximum depth-of-field to record details in the subject (wind usually prevents this outdoors), and place a reflector on the side of the subject opposite the window to bounce soft light onto the shadowed side of the subject. A light, dark, or complimentary background several feet behind the subject provides a "studio" type setting. You have almost total control, so let your creative juices flow.
Obviously, this isn't "pure nature photography," but gorgeous images can be made. The image included with this article was made with window light at f22 and a very slow shutter speed, capturing the beauty of the passion flower (a simple weed that grows in our vegetable garden).
Keep on shooting!
After the magic morning light fades into the harsh glaring mid-day sun, grab your reflectors, diffusers, and fill flashes and keep on shooting. Choose your subjects carefully and you can continue to make wonderful images until the warm sunset light paints the landscape later in the day. Read photography books by Art Wolf, John Shaw, Joe McDonald, and others to learn more about these techniques.