How to take better portraits in the harsh summer sun...

I wanted to share a few tips for taking portraits when you are enjoying the amazing summer weather...which means harsh shadows and bright light!

There are a couple of really simple tips to keep in mind that can make all the difference for shooting in the bright sun. 

First off there is the trick that every good photographer often uses 

#1) Run for the shade. (: It's totally true. You can see from the portraits below that at times it's just beautiful because the light is still everywhere around you. Light is bouncing off the sand, ground, and buildings to give you some "light in the eyes". 

#2) Use a reflector. This one takes a bit of forethought but will give you great results. Grab a white foam core from the art supply store. It doesn't have to be big- even a 2x2 will work great. No one wants to see squinty eyes and dark circles under the eyes. So make sure the sun is behind whomever you are taking portraits of. Then use the foam core to bounce light back onto your subject. You can see the little spots of light in her eyes....pretty!

#3) Use a flash. This may seem counterintuitive to use with the sun. But I use my flash the most in the sun. If you have someone with the sun behind them they may just be too dark. You may not have a white reflector to use. Whatever the case you can use that pop up flash (or your big guns flash if you have one) on your camera. You will be surprised how much better your portraits will look with flash in the sun during the day. 

Have any questions about details for the way these tricks work? Or have a comment on one that you tried and it worked? Leave a comment below...I would love to hear from you! 

                                                   In life and love - Jen