Happy Friday! Here in Flower Mound, TX the sun came up with a beautiful sunrise! Another beautiful sunset is expected. Temperatures are pleasant this morning with 70-degree weather, expecting to reach the mid 80's in between early afternoon and 6 p.m., tapering off back into the 70's for this evening. It's a great day for taking photos! I hope everyone will consider entering the ActiveRain May Contest - Life is a Story. For stunning blog posts, please be sure to reference How to Insert Photos Into Your Blog Post - ActiveRain by Craig Daniels for easy instructions. Today I offer you some simple Tips for Taking Photos on Sunny Days.
LOCATION
Whether you're taking photos indoors or outdoors, knowing what time of day you're planning to take photographs is important and whether or not it's cloudy or sunny. Educate yourself about the direction of the sun and moon and the impact it directly has on taking photographs. Weather apps will tell you dates for sunrise and sunset for your location. If you know the location and can get an overview of what time is best for taking photos, I highly recommend it. Sunny days are beautiful but knowing where you're taking photographs and being prepared for what you can expect can make a big difference.
For example, if you're on a Listing Presentation document in your notes the location, time of day, and what direction is the sun. Whether you hire a professional Photographer or shoot photos yourself pay attention to the sun and where the light is coming from on your subjects! It's best for whoever is taking photos to tell the homeowner which blinds or curtains to open or shut for taking photographs or having showings.
Not all agents can afford to hire a Professional Photographer but knowing more about how to best serve your clients using the camera can make the difference between deal or no deal. One dreadful mistake often seen in the MLS are dark rooms without enough light indoors when it's bright and sunny outdoors. Know your location in correlation with the time of day and direction of the sun for that location.
COMPOSITION
Visiting the location and walking around the property taking copious notes of where you can expect good compositions for photographs helps in preparation for the listing. Midday appointments may be convenient times for people but the Sun rules when it comes to quality compositions. I prefer not to plan for midday photography due to bright, harsh light. Knowing in advance where the direction of the light is coming from makes a big difference. When it comes to good lighting, you always have limited hours when the light is just right. Depending on Professional Photographers for photo shoots is preferred but when it comes to showings, buyers decide based on everything at that moment in time when they see through the lens of their own eyes.
LIGHT
The difference between good light and bad light determines the quality of photos. If the light is not right, your photos won't look their best. When in doubt, take plenty of photos by moving yourself around the subject. For example, if people are standing in front of a window and there is another window to the side, the people may be smiling and look nice, but the photo will be dark. Beware of sidelight which nearly always casts a shadow when the light hits your subject. Outdoor photography and indoor photography are very different. Sidelight outdoors for taking scenery can be beautiful and interesting because of the contrast between light and dark, texture and shape, and size. When it comes to taking photos, practice by noting what you see, time of day, and whether or not it's sunny or cloudy.
FRONT LIGHT
This occurs when the bright sun is behind you hitting the subject directly in front of you. When the sun is low in the sky the light is not going to be so harsh and your photo shoots will turn out better.
BACKLIGHT
This happens when the light source is directly in front of you and the light hits the subject from behind. For photographing flowers results are beautiful when you get the inner glow of soft petals.
DIFFUSED LIGHT
Flowers and colorful scenes under diffused lights on an overcast day shade will produce brighter colors with texture. One interesting photograph I took of my son and daughter by the ocean in Maine many years ago was on a very cloudy and windy day. My daughter wore a big red sweater, her long hair was blowing in the wind, and the contract between her size and the gray colors in the sky and the ocean waves behind them was absolutely beautiful.
VACATION, FAMILY, AND LEISURE
If the pandemic taught us anything, we all came to grips with how precious time is with family and loved ones. Photos remind us that people, places, and quality time is the essence of life and that Life is our Story!
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