Landscape photography in mid-day sun

[KeithM]

Newbie question. Because my partner's daughter lives in Switzerland I have a free day next week to travel solo into the high alps. Unfortunately I will only be there (Kleine Scheidegg) during the afternoon when the light of the sun is overhead. Any advice from landscape photographers as to how to create interesting images in those conditions would be most welcome.

thanks,

keith

[chauncey]

Generally, shooting in harsh light works better if you plan on doing a B&W conversion and/or, confining your self to shaded areas.

[jcuknz]

Although the light is "harsh" the result often is soft without the contrasts that a low angle sun produces ...personally I wouldn't bother about it unduely but simply take the shots which have a meaning to you and of things you want to remember ... but I ignore the landscape and go for interesting smaller things.

[Black Pearl]

Don't go into it thinking you are shooting at the wrong time of day.
Don't do it thinking there are reasons why you can't get a good landscape shot.

Go there thinking you can use the available light and you can get a good shot.
Enjoy the location, enjoy talking photographs and enjoy looking for potential shots.

[AB26]

Hi Keith,

I am not an expert Landscape Photographer.

Shooting Landscapes in midday sun usually renders the image “flat” and uninteresting. To make an image in midday sun look more interesting you should concentrate more on shapes, leading lines, contrast and patterns. I found that boosting in camera contrast and saturation also helps with reducing the hazy look in midday Landscapes.

Just enjoy the day and be creative with your camera. (Remember the tripod.)

[pnodrog]

Depending on any clouds you have you should watch(wait) for them to cover or partially block the sun and provide more interesting lighting of the scene.

[Brev00]

I agree with L.Paul here. You can't guarantee sunny days even in Switzerland. I would think. Maybe you can. But, any variations in full sun can make for a greater range of opportunities. Chauncey's point about the potential for black and white is also very sound. And, I agree with Andre about the sort of abstract qualities you can find in full sun. For me, I like the strong colors in various patterns and shapes one can find. Shadow play, itself, can be interesting--taking pics of subjects with their shadows. I find insects to be available in the middle of the day. I was out shooting scenes of my rented property during summer vacation in 95 degree heat one day and found myself on a fantastic dragonfly shoot. So, be open and, if the pics don't pan out, you do have the day.

[chauncey]

FWIW, this just popped up in my mail...http://digital-photography-school.co...ight-sunlight/

[JR1]

take a polarizing filter to eliminate some glare and I would use a soft tobacco grad

[tbob]

Do not despair. Get a polarizing filter to cut down the reflected glare, shoot RAW and watch for over exposed highlights on the histogram. Then go forth and shoot. Still some great stuff to shot at noon. May need to do some post processing as well; but mid day is no reason to hide away.

!2:38 pm in August as an example

[NorthernFocus]

People have already mentioned using a polarizing filter and graduated ND. One thing about mountains is the there is varying terrain. Particularly in mountains with steep, craggy peaks (like the alps) you can often find areas with shadows/contrast even in mid-day conditions. Just keep your eyes open, don't fixate looking in a given direction, don't preconceive your shots and enjoy yourself. If you keep an open mind no doubt there will be opportunities.

[KeithM]

Many thanks to all for your encouraging replies. This is such a helpful forum, it's much appreciated. I will use a polarizing filter and also experiment with B&W shots. I have never used a graduated ND filter - so much to learn. Thanks all.

keith

[William W]

Newbie question. Because my partner's daughter lives in Switzerland I have a free day next week to travel solo into the high alps. Unfortunately I will only be there (Kleine Scheidegg) during the afternoon when the light of the sun is overhead. Any advice from landscape photographers as to how to create interesting images in those conditions would be most welcome.

I advise to be prepared: but to have neither a formula, nor a preconception of the day’s shooting.

A “Landscape Photographer” would prep and plan the outing and the shots required and then make several visits and would take the required gear for each visit.

The point is, that, as I understand it, this is an “opportunity shoot” to make some ‘Landscape Photographs’ – so I think that the key is to NOT be dictated by pre-conceived ideas, lest those preparations make one blind to the shots that will certainly be there but which do not fit into the pre-concievd formula.

My advice is aligned with those who have commented emphasizing the opportunities that you will have. The light and the weather will be what it will be – you have no control over that. You might not have any sun overhead at all.

I suggest you take a flexible and a lightweight kit: that, for me, would be something like an EOS 5D Series Camera and an EF 24 to 105 F/4 L IS and a smaller camera as insurance. If you want to take a CPL Filter then do so, I wouldn’t, especially if I were hiking: and I certainly would not take any Graduated ND Filters. I would take ALL the batteries (well, three should be enough) - and I would keep them all warm. I would take one big card, enough for the whole day and I would take one spare card expecting that it will never be required.

*

Some examples from that area, in VARIOUS shoting conditions occuring at the time of day you mentioned each with brief rationale, these shots were all made with an EOS 5D and a 24 to 105 F/4 L IS USM, lens hood and no filter:


Jungfraubahn - Switzerland

As previously pointed out, the contours of the land offer some modest modelling for the scene even though the sun is overhead. Using a Telephoto Lens, a ‘little scene’ within the Landscape can be picked out. The lighting is flat, but in Post Production, was added a little saturation and also depth (burning) to the background landscape area, to enhance the separation of foreground / middle ground / background. The sky and clouds are unchanged. Mid-tone contrast was enhanced.

*


Jungfrau 01 Switzerland

You might not have any sunlight at all. Cloud Cover and Mist. Certainly, what this ‘crappy light’ does afford, is to make an high key capture which emphasises the cold and bleak conditions. This was made with at a Standard Focal Length. This shot might be in contention for B&W conversion, but arguably stands up to presentation in its colour rendition, also.

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Jungfrau 02 Switzerland

Another view and only moments later with the same “overhead sun”: this time the sun picking out a piece of the landscape through the thick cloud cover. Personally, I would not like this image converted to B&W as per any simple formula.

*


From Üetliberg - Switzerland

One technique to use when shooting in midday, overhead sun is to: shoot high and look low. Effectively, by moving the Camera’s Viewpoint, the Sun becomes not so much “overhead” but more at an angle to the scene (note the right and left houses roofs / tips and bodies of the trees) making for a more interesting lightscape as it becomes more ‘side lit’ and not so much ‘top lit’.

This shot also uses a telephoto lens to make a compressed perspective combined with framing ‘the landscape’ within “The Landscape”.

*

In summary, re-iterating that a “Landscape Photographer” would prep and plan this first outing and it would be one of many outings. I am not a “Landscape Photographer”, I do however make a several ‘landscape photos’ but generally the landscape photos which I make are opportunistic photos and that’s the predicate of the above advice.

WW

[arith]

I suspect there might be reasons to take burned photo under harsh light, but unless your professional you don't get a choice, if you concentrate on countryside.

Why is it not possible to use harsh light, I'm not by the way saying I've done a good job here, but why not show the sun beating down.

[jcuknz]

My 'little lad' has been up in the mountains over Memorial Weekend and apart from the 'mid-day sun' landscapes he got this https://www.flickr.com/photos/123977...reg=1&src=fave which I would be very happy to have captured in the mid-day sun.

[Manfred M]

I shot the following image just after noon (12:15) on a very sunny day a couple of days ago. Minimal PP work on this one as well.

[Mike Buckley]

I shot the following image just after noon (12:15) on a very sunny day a couple of days ago.

I take your word that the day was generally sunny but the clouds were diffusing the sunlight very nicely at the moment that you captured the scene.

[chauncey]

One would be hard pressed to beat the influences of subtle cloud cover that acts as a giant
diffuser of harsh light.

[Manfred M]

I shot the following image just after noon (12:15) on a very sunny day a couple of days ago. Minimal PP work on this one as well.

Yes and no. I should have been a bit more clear when I said "minimal" PP work.

I've been making fairly heavy use of the Nik plug-ins in much of my recent work; mostly Color Efex 2 with the Detail Enhancer and Pro Contrast filters. I did not use any plug-ins in this image at all.

I was much more light handed in this image. I only spent around 10 minutes on it.

I did use shadow reduction done in post. I was fighting with the sun and shadows during the entire shoot and this is really the only really useable image I got. I think that I got a bit of diffusion in this shot as the sun was probably partially covered. If you look at the roof, under the tree, there is small area where I backed off shadow reduction (shadow slider in ACR and clone tool).

That and a small increase in the blue tones to bring out the clouds, a slight increase in saturation on the sheave tower itself and a slight vignette are the only post.

[Mike Buckley]

Manfred,

It's nice of you to take the time to describe the post-processing editing you did, especially for the people who are grappling with that aspect of photography. Though you perceive the details that you described as being minimal post-processing, I would be willing to bet that most people would consider that to be a rather large amount. I wouldn't think that way but so many people do so much less as evidenced by their descriptions and their results, which are less refined than yours.