Why the Sun Is Great For Pictures.
Most people think bright sunshine makes excellent pictures, so they typically hope for full sunlight on their photo session or wedding day. While the clients aren’t usually basing their hopes on actual knowledge, there are many reasons why the full sun truly is excellent.
Here are five positives…
The Mood
Science backs up the fact that being outdoors in nature is good for our mental well-being. Add in some sunshine, and it boosts our mood even more. If you are photographing people, they are much more likely to be in a light-hearted, playful mood if the sun is out.
More Sun ≠ Brighter Photos
Happy People = Genuine Joy
Their joy is partly due to the sun's serotonin-releasing effects and because they think the sun will make their photos bright and beautiful.
As the photographer, you are more likely to be at the top of your game, genuinely happier, and more energetic on a day with full sun. So, the photos might genuinely turn out better “because of the sun!”
2. Variety
On a sunny day, there is more possibility for variety in the types of photos you can create. For example, using the full shade of a building, the sun filtering through some trees, intense backlighting earlier in the session, soft backlighting later during “golden hour” and “blue hour” tones after the sun sets.
Scroll through this 👆🏼 beautiful full-sun session.
3. Got that GLOW?
For the ten minutes before the sun sets and just after, nothing can beat the gorgeous, soft glow the light creates at that time.
4. Lighten Up!
Full sunlight can brighten up a dark location. Trees, mulch, dirt, and dark buildings can bring a darker, dingy feeling that bright sunlight can counter.
5. No Zombies…Whew!
I call it Zombie light when there isn’t enough light to fill eye sockets. It’s more of a lack of light…which doesn’t happen on a full sun day. Yet another reason to love them!
So, yes! Be excited when the sun is shining and you get to create in it! A photograph really captures the light. So, the more sun, the better? Not so fast. There are two sides to every coin, and that goes for sunlight in photography as well. There are some big pitfalls to a full-sun quality day for photos, too. Learn what they are and how to work with them rather than against them in Kickstart Your Photography Business Course online with us at LPS. Enrollment will be opening again soon!