Why bother thinking about it?
Assuming it isn't cloudy (like it often is in the UK!) or the sun is below the horizon, then the sun will be somewhere in the sky when we decide to take a photo. We're so used to seeing the sun in the sky, and can't do anything about where it is, but as photographers we need to have a better understanding of how this will affect our photos, and decide how to use its position in the sky to our advantage. In this article we will look at how the sun's position in the sky affects our photos, and how to make the most of the conditions we find to produce the best photos possible.
Why does the position of the sun matter?
The position of the sun in the sky is crucial in photography for a number of reasons, which all influence our photos. These are related to the quality of the light, the direction of the light relative to where we are looking, and the intensity of light, all of which can significantly affect the quality and mood of our photos. There are also a some technical considerations, especially when shooting into the sun that we need to understand. We will look at each of these in turn and discuss how to make the most of the conditions.
Light quality
Light quality changes throughout the day due to the position of the sun, the atmospheric conditions. Here's a breakdown of how light quality varies from dawn to dusk:
Early Morning (around sunrise)
Golden Hour: The period shortly after sunrise is known as the golden hour. Light during this time is soft, warm, and diffused with long shadows. This results in a flattering and ethereal quality, ideal for landscapes (and portraits).
Colour Temperature: Light has a warm, reddish-golden hue.
Mid-Morning
Sunlight Intensifies: As the sun rises higher, the light becomes more intense and direct.
Colour Temperature: The light starts to shift to a cooler, more neutral tone compared to the golden hour.
Midday (Noon)
Harsh Light: The light is at its most intense and harshest. Shadows are short and very defined.
Colour Temperature: Light tends to be cooler and more neutral.
Challenges: The high contrast can create unflattering shadows and blown highlights, making it less ideal for most types of photography.
Afternoon
Softening Light: As the sun begins to lower, the light softens again, though it remains brighter than in the early morning.
Colour Temperature: The light starts to gain a slight warmth.
Late Afternoon to Early Evening
Golden Hour Again: Similar to the morning golden hour, the light becomes soft and warm with elongated shadows.
Colour Temperature: Warm, reddish-golden hues return, providing a flattering and pleasant quality.
Evening (Dusk to Twilight)
Blue Hour: The period just after sunset is known as the blue hour. The sky takes on a deep blue hue, and the light is soft and diffused.
Colour Temperature: Light is cooler, with a bluish tint.
Atmospheric Light: Artificial lights from buildings and street lamps can start to dominate, adding interesting lighting contrasts.
Night
Artificial Light: Photography relies on artificial light sources such as street lights, neon signs, and indoor lighting.
Colour Temperature: Varies widely depending on the light sources (e.g., tungsten, LED, fluorescent).
Considerations for photography
Dynamic Range: Midday light often exceeds the camera’s dynamic range capabilities, making it challenging to capture details in both highlights and shadows.
Golden Hours: Favoured for their natural, flattering light, making it easier to achieve aesthetically pleasing results.
Use of Reflectors and Diffusers: Essential during harsh midday light to soften shadows and balance the exposure.
Artificial Lighting: Useful for filling in shadows and controlling the light quality during non-optimal natural lighting times.
Understanding how light quality changes throughout the day helps photographers plan their shoots to take advantage of the most flattering and suitable light for their subjects.
Below (left): a morning golden hour photo
Below (right): a blue hour photo
Light direction
The direction of the sun plays a crucial role in outdoor photography, affecting the quality, mood, and appearance of the final image. Here are the main ways in which sun direction matters:
Sun behind you: When the sun is behind you, it illuminates the landscape evenly, minimizing shadows and reducing contrast. This lighting is good for capturing details and colors but can sometimes make the image look flat. If the sun is low you can also have the problem of your shadow in the photo which can ruin a photo and should be avoided.
Shooting into the sun: Shooting into the sun is probably the most technically difficult due to the strong difference in dynamic range between shadows and highlights. This can be used creatively in a number of ways, such as creating silhouettes of people or objects (which requires careful management of exposure), produce brilliant sunrise or sunset shots (which requires bracketing) or produce sunstars (which requires an understanding of manual camera settings).
Side Lighting: When the sun is to the side of the subject, it produces strong shadows and highlights, enhancing texture and depth. This lighting can add drama and dimension to the photo.
Light intensity
Light intensity varies depending on both time of day and weather.
Midday Sun: When the sun is high in the sky, the light is harsh and direct, creating strong shadows and high contrast. This can be challenging for photography, as it may lead to overexposed highlights and underexposed shadows. It's often best to avoid shooting during midday for landscapes or seek shade and use diffusers to soften the light when shooting portraits.
Overcast Conditions: Clouds diffuse sunlight, providing soft, even light that reduces shadows and highlights. This can be ideal for landscape (and portrait) photography as it's easier to capture details without harsh contrasts.
Mood and atmosphere
The angle and quality of sunlight can set the tone of a photograph. Warm, soft light from a low sun can evoke feelings of warmth, nostalgia, and tranquility, while the stark, high-contrast light of midday can create a more clinical or intense atmosphere.
Practical considerations
The direction of the sun also presents some technical issues which we need to understand in order to produce the best photos. These include:
Lens Flare and Glare: The sun’s position can cause lens flare and glare (coloured spots and streaks across the photo), especially when shooting directly into the sun. This can be used creatively but is often avoided by using lens hoods or adjusting the shooting angle.
Exposure Settings: The sun’s intensity affects the exposure settings on the camera. Lower sun angles generally mean lower light levels, requiring adjustments in aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to maintain proper exposure. Often shooting into the sun requires bracketing (taking multiple exposures) in order to create good photos in situations with wide dynamic range (from dark shadows to bright highlights).
Final words
Understanding how the sun’s position affects these factors helps you to plan shoots around the best lighting conditions and manipulate light during the shoot to achieve the desired the most artistic and technical effects.
Want to improve your photography skills?
Don't forget that if you want some direct help with your photography, I offer a range of 1-2-1 photography courses for Devon based folks. If you're not nearby then I also offer residential weekends for beginners or intermediate photographers.
