Shooting on location can often be a bit of a struggle, especially in this unpredictable Australian weather. Natural light can be harsh and can easily make or break a photo shoot.
Sunny days, in particular, are difficult to work with as harsh light and dark shadows can be tricky to capture. In saying this, the sun can also produce the most beautiful lighting - and it's completely free! The trick is learning how to use this light to your advantage and knowing how to capture photos in the sun properly.
Here are some top harsh light photography tips to help improve your natural light portraits, particularly when taking portraits on a sunny day.
Last updated: June 2026
1: Find Some Shade
The number one tip for shooting on a sunny day is to try and find a location that has some shaded areas. Whether that be a tree or a building, make sure you have the option to move into the shade if the sun is too harsh. Taking photos in the shade will also help prevent the model from squinting in all of your images, which often happens when the model has to look into the sun when shooting.
The images below were both taken in the shade using nothing but natural light. The first image was taken on a very sunny day at noon when the sun was at its brightest. Moving the model into the shade cast by one of the beach houses allowed the lighting to be even across the entire model, meaning no unattractive shadows caused by the sun.
The second was taken in similar lighting - the sun was very bright, making it difficult to shoot on the pier as planned. A nearby ferry shelter painted white provided a small roof that blocked the sun from directly hitting the model, allowing a soft winter lighting effect on a sunny summer day.
2: Make Your Own Shade
Another option is to make your own shade. A scrim held above the model by an assistant will diffuse the sunlight beautifully. Most reflectors come with a diffuser, which can also be used as a scrim in bright lighting. A plain umbrella or a piece of cardboard can do a great job at shading the model. A piece of fabric can also make a makeshift wall to block out the light. Use these to block the sun from the model and then expose for the model's face to ensure that they aren't too dark.
3: Turn Your Model Away From the Light
This is probably the simplest option to eliminate harsh shadows on the model's face when taking photos in the sun. Turning your model away from the sun will ensure that the light is even across the front of their body, eliminating any uneven lighting issues. The sun will also illuminate the edges of the model's body creating a halo, which can add a dreaminess to the image.
Be careful when posing a model with their back turned to the sun - if the light is hitting them at an angle this can cause the side of the model's face or body to become bright and overexposed. You want to aim to make the light across the model as even as possible.
4: Bounce the Light
If you are finding that there is too much shadow in your image, try adding in a reflector to lighten these shadows - see the Use a Reflector or Diffuser section below for the full breakdown of reflector types and positioning.
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5: Change the Shoot Time
If all else fails, another easy way to get better quality natural light is to shoot later in the day, avoiding the middle of the day when the sun is at its highest and shadows are harshest. See the Golden Hour section below for exactly why the hour before sunset works so well.
About the Author
These tips were contributed by photographer Marissa Alden. If you'd like to see more of Marissa's work, check out her galleries and website:
www.marissaalden.com
Facebook - @marissaaldenphotography
Instagram - @marissaaldenphoto
Twitter - @Marissaalden
Use Golden Hour to Avoid Harsh Light Altogether
One of the simplest ways to avoid harsh light photography challenges is to plan your shoot around the golden hour - the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset. During this window, the sun sits low on the horizon, producing warm, soft, directional light that flatters skin tones and minimises hard shadows. In Australia, golden hour can be particularly striking, especially in coastal or outback environments. If you have flexibility in your schedule, this is the single most effective way to guarantee beautiful natural light portraits without any additional equipment. Read our full guide on golden hour photography tips for advice on timing, location, and getting the best results in-camera.
Use a Reflector or Diffuser to Control Harsh Sunlight
When shade isn't available, a reflector or diffuser is your next best tool for shooting in harsh sunlight. A collapsible 5-in-1 reflector can bounce soft fill light back into shadowed areas on your subject's face, reducing the contrast caused by direct overhead sun. Alternatively, a translucent diffuser held between the sun and your subject scatters harsh light into a much softer, more even source - essentially creating a portable cloud. Both tools are affordable, lightweight, and easy to carry on location shoots across Australia. They work especially well for outdoor portrait photography in the middle of the day when repositioning to shade simply isn't possible.
Master Exposure Compensation When Shooting in Bright Sun
Bright sunlight can easily fool your camera's metering system, resulting in blown-out highlights or underexposed subjects. Learning to use exposure compensation is a critical harsh light photography skill. If your subject is backlit or surrounded by bright sand or concrete, your camera may underexpose their face - dial in positive exposure compensation (+0.7 to +1.3 EV) to correct this. Conversely, if shooting towards the sun, reduce exposure to retain sky detail. Shooting in RAW format also gives you far greater flexibility to recover highlights and shadows in post-processing.