6 tips to follow when taking pictures in harsh sunlight

Lighting plays such an important factor to getting beautiful photography shots. If the lighting is not right, then your photos will come out poorly. Here are 6 tips to follow when taking pictures in harsh sunlight.
The best time of day to take pictures outside is in the morning or evening. Cloudy days are great too, since the light is not too harsh, but what do you do if the only time of day for a photo shoot happens to fall on the time when the sunlight is harshest? Keep the below tips in mind when shooting in broad daylight.
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1. Move to the shade
If you can, find a shady place to take your shots. This is very doable if you only have one subject and a few props. You will still get light from shooting in the shade, but it won't be so harsh.
2. Create shade
Can't find any shade for your photo shoot? Then create shade! This works great if you are photographing small objects. You can use yourself as shade, subjects, or bring along props like an umbrella or large sheet to block the sun.
3. Reflector
Use a reflector to cast shadows on your subject when shooting in harsh sunlight. The light from the reflector will bounce into the face of your subject, just like a fill in flash. Move yourself or your subject around until you get the right amount of light in your shot.
4. Lens hood
Using a lens hood will also help keep out harsh sunlight. If you don't have one handy, make one out of cardboard or other material, or use your hand to shield the lens from the sunlight. Remember to keep your hand or lens hood out of the final shot.
5. Use filters
Filters are great at keeping out harsh light in shots. Use a Neutral Density or polarizing filter. Some filters give you flexibility to change your shutter speed and aperture to get the best lighting possible. Take plenty of shots to practice and see what you need to change on your settings.
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6. White balance
Take shots with your camera's different white balance settings. You may be able to darken up a harshly lit scene this way. Shoot in RAW so that you can change the lighting around later with software.