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Five tips for stunning portraits in harsh midday sun

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If there’s anything we can expect outside every day, all day, it’s the sunshine. I don’t know about you guys, but I haven’t seen a single cloud in over a month. When you want to take photos on hot summer days, early morning or late afternoon are certainly the best options. But sometimes you just can’t choose, and the harsh midday sun is the only lighting you’re left with.

The sweat stains you get from the scorching midday sun aren’t the only unflattering thing it gives you. It’s also the worst portrait lighting you can imagine. However, there are ways to work with it and still get some awesome portraits. And in this video from Adorama, Gavin Hoey will give you as many as five ways to do it.[Read More…]

Harsh sunlight? No problem: this AI removes all those unwanted shadows

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Shooting portraits in direct sunlight can be pretty challenging, and those harsh shadows on the face are likely not something you’ll want to see on your model’s face. Well, if you’re not up for old-school solutions, artificial intelligence comes to the rescue. A group of scientists has created an algorithm that removes all those unwanted shadows in a matter of seconds.

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Fuji lens found after four months in the wilderness, rain and extreme temperatures, and it still works

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It looks like Fujifilm takes weather sealing of its lenses very seriously. Steve Boykin of 35mmc recently lost a Fuji XF 23mm f/2 lens during a hike in the wilderness, firmly believing that he’d never find it. However, he did find it four months later, which is pretty incredible on its own. But what’s even more unbelievable that the lens is almost intact and it still works perfectly fine!

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Five simple tricks to turn harsh sunlight into a nice, flattering light

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Shooting in direct sunlight is something most photographers and filmmakers avoid. The light is harsh and not very flattering, but sometimes you’ll be forced to shoot in such conditions. In this video from Cinecom, you’ll learn five simple tricks to make the absolute best out of harsh midday sun.

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Quick tips for photographing in harsh sunlight without flash or reflectors

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The golden hour is probably the time when most of us would choose to take photos. But, there will be times when you’ll be forced to shoot in a harsh midday sun, for one reason or the other. You can bring reflectors, strobes, or try to find or make a shade. But in this video, Manny Ortiz will give you some quick tips on how to embrace the direct sunlight and turn it into your advantage without any gear but your camera and lens.

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Four ways to make the best of direct sunlight in your portraits

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Even though harsh midday sun is far from an ideal lighting situation, sometimes you’ll have no other choice. In this video, Jay P. Morgan shows you four ways to make the best of that direct sunlight and turn it into your advantage. He demonstrates three setups that only use the sunlight, and the fourth one adds a strobe to the equation. But in all cases, you’ll end up with great portraits even in the otherwise unflattering direct sunlight.

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This is how to get gorgeous portraits despite harsh sunlight

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Shooting on location presents all kinds of lighting challenges. You’re at the mercy of the weather, and thus the light. And which light is “best” is a huge matter of personal preference. Some prefer the softness of a cloudy overcast day. Others like that harsh bright direct sunlight. Although the latter is not always that flattering.

There are things you can do to overcome this bright harsh sunlight, though. This video from photographer Manny Ortiz shows us his process, and how he works through these challenges. And it might surprise you to see that not all of them require the use of flash.

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Two quick tips to overcome harsh daylight without lighting tools

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Creating portraits outdoors in harsh sunlight is a pain. It’s why people tell you to not go out and do it during a bright sunny day, and to wait until golden hour. Personally, I love it, although I’m often doing it with flash or reflectors but it can be done without those, too.

In his latest Two Minute Tips video, photographer David Bergman walks us through the process of dealing with the harsh sunlight on location and beating it into submission to get some great portraits.

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