In photography good lighting does not mean the more light the better. Intense sunlight washes out colors, creates shadows and causes glare. But, pictures can't always wait for the perfect light. When you must take pictures in direct light, several steps will help you get the best result possible.
Instructions
1. Turn the flash on. It's tempting to think of the flash as a device to be used in low light situations, but direct light is where the flash is the most useful. The flash is less bright than sunlight so it will not brighten the already bright spots in the picture. What it will do is eliminate the dark shadows that can hide your subject.
2. Increase the exposure time of the pictures to further create balance between the bright light and dark shadows. The exposure time is the amount of time the shutter is open and takes in light. It's measured in fractions of a second and almost all cameras allow you change the setting in their manual modes. An exposure time of 1/100 is a good rule of thumb for pictures in direct light, but you can go a little slower or a little faster as necessary.
3. Block direct light from the camera. Direct light shining at the camera increases the washout effect. Stand in the shade of a tree or raise a hand to block the sun from hitting the camera.
4. Use an appropriate white balance. White balancing tells your camera what color is white and helps it portray colors more accurately. In direct light, it's best to manually white balance your camera. However, you can also choose "daylight" from your camera's white balance presets.
5. Position yourself so the sun is to your side. Direct light behind your subject will cause washout in pictures and direct light behind the camera will cause shadows. It is best to position yourself and your subject to the side of the light. The light shining on your subject can also create a bit of a 3D effect in the picture.
Tags: your subject, direct light, direct light, exposure time, pictures direct