How to shoot in harsh midday sun
Yucatán’s midday sun creates hard shadows, squinting and blown highlights. Here are practical ways to get good photos anyway.
Between about 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., the sun in Yucatán is almost directly overhead. It creates dark eye sockets, harsh shadows under noses and bright highlights that are hard to control. Sometimes you have no choice but to shoot then.
Find shade
Open shade under a tree, an arcade or a building gives soft, even light. Place your subject just inside the shade edge, facing the bright open area, for catchlights in the eyes.
Use the sun as a backlight
Turn your subject so the sun is behind them. Their face will be evenly lit by reflected light, and the hair gets a rim light. Expose for the face and accept a bright background.
Add fill
A reflector or a flash with high-speed sync fills in shadows. Fill flash at −1 to −2 stops lightens faces without looking flashy.
Diffuse it
A large diffusion panel held between the sun and the subject turns hard light into soft light, ideal for headshots and product shots outdoors.
Embrace it
Hard light can be graphic and bold: strong shadows on colorful walls, high contrast black and white, and crisp architecture. Use it deliberately rather than fighting it.
Next: Open shade: the easiest flattering light for portraits
