Simple ways to conquer outdoor lighting

Simple ways to conquer outdoor lighting with Iliasis Muniz.

Being a local South Padre Island beach photographer for over 12 years now I have learned the ups and downs of our unique island. The ups are seasonal just as the downs. The peak heat season is between May – September and the low cool season where we gain fresh air between October – March. Every year varies of course. I’d love to share with other local or new beach photographers some simple ways to conquer outdoor lighting.

Let’s get started.

Check to see which season you are photographing in. Such as peak heat season or low cool season. Then you want to verify what time is sunrise and sunset. I enjoy looking up the times here as they are the most accurate.
Next you want to make sure you are using a really great lense on your camera. I used in the photos below a EF Canon 50mm f1.8. The camera settings I used were ISO 160 | 1/1600 | F2.8. This allowed me plenty of room to play with the sun and the clouds.
Lastly have your clients where bright colored outfits. When wearing jeweled tones this allows the outdoor lighting to bounce off easier and gives a more playful feel. When helping your clients decide on what to wear make sure you are confident about having them in color vs all white. Check out my family prep guide for some advice on how to guide your clients on your next outdoor photo shoot.

I hope these simple ways to conquer outdoor lighting were helpful to you. If you’d like to know more about outdoor lighting please feel free to leave a comment on our Blog. Your input is gratefully appreciated. Come back tomorrow where we go over more about family beach photography. See you soon!