HELP: Shooting at high noon (bright sunny day, not much shade) (Page 2): In manual mode, use the lowest ISO you have available (take it out of auto mode), very closed aperture (the...

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

Dietxanadu wrote:

How to take picture at high noon (bright sunny day)?

Mar 3rd was a bright sunny day and I was at the L.A. Zoo. The Zoo faces east and didnt open until 10am. By the time I was inside and ready to take pictures it was almost high noon, very bright and little shade.

I now that the best time to shot would be early morning or after the sunset, but how can I shot at high noon?

Thanks

In manual mode, use the lowest ISO you have available (take it out of auto mode), very closed aperture (the highest number on your lens), and adjust the shutter speed for proper exposures. This could also be accomplished with aperture priority automation if you like to use an auto mode.

Use a lens hood if you have one to keep the high sun glare off the front of your lens. Get yourself under a tree whenever possible. Anytime you can shield the lens from direct sun by any means at all you will get better clarity. A polarizing filter can also give you some dramatic effect in high sun situations while lowering the amount of light getting into the lens.

ljmeis Loc: Bedford MA

Have same problem in South florida.
zoom in on subject to exclude sky and reflective ground as much as possible. Use polarizing filter. Try to spot meter from an area as close to middle gray as possible. This takes practice.
To eliminate or reduce harsh shadows try flash, especially large one rather than the built-in one.I have had some success with a flash extender using a fresnel lens for longer shots(up to 50 ft.). I know it's counter-intuitive to use flash in bright light but this works. It's a matter of local contrast rather than total light available. Hope this helps.
Len

llindstrand Loc: Seattle Metro

Dietxanadu wrote:

How to take picture at high noon (bright sunny day)?

Mar 3rd was a bright sunny day and I was at the L.A. Zoo. The Zoo faces east and didnt open until 10am. By the time I was inside and ready to take pictures it was almost high noon, very bright and little shade.

I now that the best time to shot would be early morning or after the sunset, but how can I shot at high noon?

Thanks

I have had good luck using either a Neutral Density Filter if the whole scene is bright or a Graduated ND if only the sky/background is the problem. Also shooting for HDR PP can be a help.
Swede

rambler Loc: Masssachusetts

As Jen points out, overexpose the whites. Experiment with metering. Lock in brighter areas by zooming in or even aiming at the ground. Use exposure compensation then HDR. Just like at night when you over expose, under expose, and combine to help mollify the effect of bright night lights, do the same in the bright time of the day. It is also a way to avoid the washed out skies.

Create your own shade using your body, an umbrella or reflector. Get people into shade to avoid the squinting eyes. A bright object (snow!) can be used to reflect light into a shaded side of a face.

I guess you ask because so much emphasis is put on the "golden hours of dusk and dawn" that not much writing is spent on the mid-day sunny hours.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

I seem to recall taking a spot reading using the camera meter off of the palm of my hand. I would hold my hand in the sun and then use that reading.

Have any here done that?

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

ole sarg wrote:

I seem to recall taking a spot reading using the camera meter off of the palm of my hand. I would hold my hand in the sun and then use that reading.

Have any here done that?

yep

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

ole sarg wrote:

I seem to recall taking a spot reading using the camera meter off of the palm of my hand. I would hold my hand in the sun and then use that reading.

Have any here done that?

Yep

rambler Loc: Masssachusetts

I think a reading-from-the-hand-method came from first taking a reading from a gray card, then from the hand comparing the two, so that when taking later from the hand instead of a gray card, you would have an accurate comparison point, ie, a consistent point of reference.

For example, if I take a reading off a gray card and get f/5.6, then immediately take a reading off my hand and get f/4, I know there is a one stop difference between my hand and a gray card. So, next time I do not have a gray card, I'll just read off my hand and then compensate by adding one f/stop.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

The one thing I have learned about shooting in the mid day sun - a time for mad dogs and Englishmen - is to forget one lens at home and instead wear a broad brimmed hat and take extra water....

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

I shoot all the time at mid-day. I set up proper exposure for the light. I also use UV and CPL, and when needed ND filters. The CPL reduces the need for a hood. I look for contrast and shadows and reflections. You will be surprised what you can do in this so-called bad light. Sometimes I will convert the picture to B&W in PP to enhance contrast and shadows.

Digiphot2

The sunny 16 rule is wonderful! Shoot at F:16 at the reciprocal of the ISO....So...Without any filters, If your ISO is 400...You shoot F:16 @ 1/400th...If you put on a Polarizer, shoot at F:8 @ 1/400th. Adjust the Polarizer to suit the sun's angle, and shoot away!

Al FR-153 Loc: Chicago Suburbs

Dietxanadu... You can do it.... They did it at the OK Coral didn't they?

P.S. You knew that this was coming... after the painted camera body. hehehe

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

Digiphot2 makes a good statement about the Sunny 16 rule. Start with this and make adjustments as needed. All this reminds me, it is noon and need to take pictures.

frangeo Loc: Texas

Dietxanadu wrote:

How to take picture at high noon (bright sunny day)?

Mar 3rd was a bright sunny day and I was at the L.A. Zoo. The Zoo faces east and didnt open until 10am. By the time I was inside and ready to take pictures it was almost high noon, very bright and little shade.

I now that the best time to shot would be early morning or after the sunset, but how can I shot at high noon?

Thanks

Flash Fill. Takes out the pocket shadows. Sounds crazy but I have to do this all the time shooting at the beach in bright sun light.

konica135 Loc: Ormond Beach, FL

I now that the best time to shot would be early morning or after the sunset, but how can I shot at high noon?

"Due u no" the diff between "now" and "know"?
Use a spell checker or proof read. Errors like this make one wonder how accurate your photo editings or observations are. It's called QC.