Photographing in bright sunlight is a challenge for any budding smartphone photographer. It may seem that without the DSLR light settings and accessories, photographing in bright sunlight is a lost cause. Yet, in many ways, we have found this much easier with a smartphone. It’s more portable and adaptable than a DSLR and, with the right techniques, you can achieve some amazing sunlit photography no matter what you are trying to achieve. So, here are our 5 top tips for smartphone photography in bright sunlight.
Shade
This may sound really obvious, but finding some shade to capture your subject is one of the easiest ways to photograph using the bright sunlight around you. The subject will be well lit from the ambient light, while still remaining crisp and detailed when shooting.
You can also try out different shade effects depending on what you want to capture. For example, if you are taking nature shots, you can use the spackled light from trees to create a beautiful partially shaded effect.
If you are photographing downwards or at ground level, take your time to find less reflective surfaces, or objects that come to life when the sun castes light from above, such as flowers or rippling water.
If you are photographing people, using a doorway, tunnel, or another shaded spot. This can be very effective in framing the subject while also using the ambient light around you.
Silhouettes
On the flip side, you can also use the bright sunlight to create some dramatic shots by shooting towards the sun (**but do make sure you don’t look right into the sun, even with a lens!). By placing the subject in the foreground, you can create dramatic silhouettes with the light behind. Try this out with people, trees, or even huge objects like mountains.
You can also capture some great lens flare this way, which can really highlight those summer snaps.
Adjusting contrast
Most smartphone cameras have adjustable contrast settings, which you can look up easily on an online guide for your handset. With this setting you can set up your shot and then adjust the contrast to change the light and colour capture. Rather than taking a washed out shot with too much light, the shadows and deeper colours will be highlighted instead.
Filters
One of the most fun features on smartphone cameras is the wide range of filters you can use for your images. With bright sunlight, black and white or noir filters can look very dramatic, highlighting the shaded and lit areas of a shot. So, if you go to take a photo but are not thrilled with the colours or contrast, try editing with a filter and see what you can create.
Photo by Dawn Carr, taken on our Oxford City safari
Reflecting light
When shooting in bright sunlight you will generally want to have the light behind you, but this is likely to be quite uncomfortable for your subject resulting in a shot with their eyes closed or harsh shadows on their face. This is where reflecting light can be really useful.
If you are taking headshots, then using a reflector can achieve a more professional finish. But, equally, you could also use a white sheet or find surfaces around you that will caste soft and even light onto your subject, such as lightly painted wall.
The take away
Photographing in bright sunlight is definitely achievable with a smartphone camera and can create some of the most stunning and dramatic shots while also being versatile and mobile. The key is to experiment. So, whether you are on your summer holidays, going to a wedding, or out for a walk on a summer day, try out lots of different techniques and see what you can create.
Build your skills!
Would you like to build your smartphone photography skills for photographing in bright sunlight? Why not get in touch with one of our local team and set up a 1-to-1 smartphone safari where we can concentrate on building the skills you’re interested in without any distractions.
To find out more about our team and get in touch, click here.