Thank you for the great response to this! Just published a part 2 to this video. Check it out here - kzfaq.info/get/bejne/g6uPY6eordCdcnk.html

Best advice I've heard about not fighting against high or low contrast. I've never thought of it that way.

You are so right.. as a non-morning-person, harsh light is my default 😂

Thank you. At least one person realises that most of us have 9-5 jobs, and that 2:00pm on Saturday is the only free time to shoot. Great tips, many thanks.

This video is possibly the most unexpected and silent game changer in my photography experience. I'm surprised, but I've always tried to reduce the contrast trying to save as many details as it is possible. I've never thought if I could do it another way. I think even composing a frame will be different for me from now on. Thanks, Roman!

I love this channel. In an era of "my camera is better than yours" or "I have to buy a new gear so my photos can be better" type of stuff you just release those chillout videos with great photos and some nice advices. Keep up the good work.

Thanks for the video. Great tips for working within the confines of the lighting conditions that we often find ourselves shooting in. Many times I've heard it stated that one should not bother shooting in mid-day. But as you've indicated, this may not be practical. One additional thing that comes to mind is that if you are on a trip with friends or family, you still want to capture the memories throughout the day regardless of whether the light is ideal or not. When I used to work in a city, I would go out during my lunch break, grab a quick bite to eat, and then photograph the town. I've gotten many photos during those times that I cherish.

It was only because of Fujifilm jpegs that I learned hard light needs Contrast down and Saturation boost to look right. I never noticed how much the sun makes everything look bleach bypass when I was shooting raw. 😂

Thanks for the tips. One thing I look for are interesting shadows during harsh light conditions. Shadows may not be as drawn out or elongated as during golden hour, but they are more defined.

Never been more excited for a video because like you said I have family and work so going out at sunset or sunrise is near impossible

Very helpful video! As a photographer based in Phoenix, AZ, harsh light is a thing. I’ve tried most of these approaches at some point or another, but your idea about putting on a longer lens is something I haven’t tried to help mitigate the challenges of harsh light. I’ll give that a try once this oven summer subsides. Thanks!!

As a landscape and architecture photographer, I accept and sometimes embrace harsh light. Recently shooting some wrecked boats in their surrounding terrain, harsh light added to the drama. Softer light is preferable in most cases but if that means missing the shot... Like your tip on reflections btw.

Two more ways of embracing harsh midday light that I use fairly regularly are seeking or deliberately placing subjects in open shade with its nice diffusion, or consciously including the sun in the frame to produce dramatic sunbursts.

My tip is to shoot with narrow aperture - f13 and up - when looking for colors. This helps give the colors natural contrast and makes them pop since you are using the harsh sunlight to your advantage. This also gives photos that cinematic/moody look!

Thanks for the video and tips, I live in Malta and harsh light is the order of most of the day! I usually head for modern architecture areas to capture areas of high contrast in B/W whilst trying to include human figures as well.

Not fighting against high or low -> The best obvious advice that I never even thought of! I already tried and love the results, love the film like vibes it also gives :)

Tourist especially. We dont stay at the area long enough usually. So we may take photo or video anytime. This is a useful video

Finally, somebody with sympathy for those of us who don't have the time, the or the luxury to wait for the "golden hour" in the AM or PM. Thanks Roman for the down to earth, non-elitist advice on how to shoot under harsh day light! Thanks!! 🙏

I just wanna say thanks for all your work into creating your content. I bought my first mirrorless camera (Fujifilm X-T3, also based on your older reviews) last year and have been going through your videos. I find your videos just so straightforward, clean and also a fan of your photography.

We always learn so much from your videos! You explain things so well in a such organised and clear way, all with very good photo examples 🙏 Great work and lovely photographs!

It's so easy to get caught up in all the super advanced gear and editing tools we have at our disposal these days, that's why I love content with the focus on the fundamentals of photography. Ultimately, it all begins and ends with a good shot. I really believe that. Solid advice in this video, man. Thank you.

Teaching photography is not to everyone but you excel at it. Stimulating others creativity is a are gift, you received it and use it very well .Thank you.

TQ for the tutorial buddy. Great images too.

This is the most practical guide I've seen yet to deal with the harsh light of the midday Sun. Well done - cheers!

As usual, really nice explanations and practical advice. Thanks for taking the time to put this together Roman. Have a rockin' week!

As someone who has a 9-5 job and family commitments, the time I do get to go out and shoot, means I have to deal with harsh afternoon light, or boring grey flat light. These videos really help in learning how to cope and master these types of lighting conditions. Thanks, Roman.

Very straight forward presentation style, hands on, free of gimmicks, perfect. Thank you!

I absolutely love shooting street/ architecture during the midday - especially high contrast scenes. Seeking geometry/ shades and highlights is incredibly rewarding.

As always your advice is super helpful. I’ll need to remember your bit on leaning into the contrast of a shot instead of fighting it in post.

What sold me in this vid was definitively your beautiful photos. Man, I love your work.

I would like to thank KZfaq for recommending this piece of great work and thank you too for making this video. A lot of times I find myself shooting in the midday sun and most of the times I look for contrast , light and shadow but lately I've been reading and learning more about colors and now I look for colors aswel. It's funny how you almost never think about looking for these things until you actually read a little about them... and then they kind of pop up in your head and you see them...

Thank you for your precious info, Roman!

I’ve always either tried to shoot in open shade or modifying the light with filtration and grippage. But this is great! Thank you so much! :)

Great advice.. thanks. I usually try to think black & white images during the daytime with flat light.

Thank you for this encouragement to go ahead and work with the conditions at hand. I’ve been trying to force the ‘right’ conditions in post, and know it really doesn’t work. Just leaving it be and working with what is available is reassuring after having struggled with the “right way” when the “wrong” conditions were what were available. . Keeping the composition minimal and clean, letting shadow work as part of the composition, and using color to clarify the scene are helpful takeaways. Although much of what I shoot doesn’t have wide color palette. I may just go out and shoot now..

Great Vid man. Nobody has talked about these things in this way - some great thoughts. Just one other. I'm an events photographer in Perth, Western Australia and nearly all of the gigs I shoot are kind of between 10am and 3pm. Perth is very well known for bright days, clear blue skies and lots of sun all year around. Long story, but I have battled for a long time shooting people professionally in horrible midday sun. I've finally found a solution now where I always shoot with my Godox V1 in HSS daylight balanced fill flash.. It's made such a difference with no more racoon eyes and harsh shadows on faces. I tone the flash down my placing a negative 1 2/3rd stop setting on it and the camera does the rest with TTL. It never looks like I've used flash, my customers have commented on how great the images look and I don't have to stress about shooting anymore in harsh light. I even shot a full wedding a month ago in bright, harsh light with my flash and the folks were very pleased with their images. I'm not sure why more photographers don't talk about or use daylight balanced, HSS fill flash (of course not much use for sceneries, landscape or perhaps street), but great for anything to do with people - which is all I ever shoot.

Great video Roman! You are so right about basically life happening and those magical golden hours just not being in the cards for a lot of us. Wishing you safe travels!

i've been into photography - and chasing it as a job opportunity - for 6 years now. Your video just made so many things make sense, with such simple explaining! Thank you.

Some solid tips here, which is uncommon among the veritable barrage of "game changing" instructional videos that "take your photography to the next level".

Thanks for this video ! As a father of two little boys and working full time, noon / harsh light is my only time for photography. This video helps a lot ✌️

Thank you, I’ve been looking for photography advice to try and push my craft and I’ve been really struggling and your video finally gave me some practical advice that I can really use in apply. Bonus points for calling out that not everybody has the privilege to shoot a golden hour.

For a loooong loooooong time this is the most helpful single video you can run at on the whole KZfaq. Thank you!

Excellent! You covered this topic in very efficient and simple terms. I will be sure to put these tips to practice.

Excellent reflection on how to take good photos when you are a simple tourist on a tour!! Thank you so much! Best from Uruguay.

Geez man. Thank you so very much. It’s been a while since I’ve challenged on KZfaq. You gave me a lot to think about and I’m excited to go out and practise the principles you’ve shared.

Another great video. I always try and simply look for pleasing light and color and then see if there’s a frame possible, if that makes sense.

Lots of valuable insights here. Thanks so much.

finally someone who is talking about real photography skills. Thank you so much for your video! I love the contrast.

Thx for the info, much appreciated

such great advice thank you, I’ve been looking for tips like these for a while

I left a mist filter on by accident and decided to run with it that day. Some great results but I usually don’t like using filters as they lock the image into one look. Great video mate.

Thanks Roman, excellent tips for someone who hates early mornings.

Thanks Roman. That's given me a lot to think about.

You're the best! Thanks for the content!

Totally love this video, thank you for so good advices!

These tips are invaluable, and this coming from a golden hr / blue hour devotee! Great work, Roman, and I love your channel!!!

Excellent video - learned so much. Loved advice to shoot longer lens in harsh light. Will take out my 85 mm and 70- 200 mm for these harsh light days.

Excellent tips and insights. Thank you for sharing them.

So good guide. I actually learned something and I've been struggling with harsh light alot. 👍

Great video. Thank you for covering such useful topics.

Great video! Thanks for the helpful suggestions.

This is a really helpful and unusual piece! First time I've ever been encouraged not to see harsh light as "the enemy" to good photography. Thanks, subscribed 🙂

Thank you for this video, very helpful advice🙏🏻

I took your advice, Roman, and just tried boosting the contrast in a high contrast scene and the images went from muddy to much more interesting. Thanks for that tip! We have very bright light in Texas and the Golden Hour is also the mosquito hour, so avoiding it is paramount in the spring and summer.

Great video! This made me rethink my presets which would make daytime/hard light photos always make look strange. High contrast was the reason. Thanks!

Very good advices, thanks.

this just just pure good advice, don't fight the contrast, work with it !

Great tips Roman. Always learning something from your videos.

Thanks for this video as I'm going into a situation where shooting mid day will be required. Heading to Europe this weekend on a long (pre covid ) vacation & will give my X-T4 & X-E4 a workout.

Fantastic video! Will certainly try out these recommendations.

Good ideas. I often opt for black and white to handle harsh light but I will definitively try some of your suggestions.

Thank you for the excellent ideas. I've probably seen 4 or 5 videos on shooting in midday and the advice has always been wait for it to get cloudy...or something along those lines. This is the first video on the subject that provided useful information. Also, your photos are exceptional.

Really useful and a topic I don't see enough content about. This really changed the way I think about harsh midday light. Thanks!

Great tips Roman! I'm also a big advocate for adjusting down highlights in the skies in these cases.

Thank you! I learned quite a bit from your video.

Excellent video, thank you!

Apart of the advices I've found useful for me, I appreciate your calm ‎‎demeanour and the quality of your images. They speak for themselves👍 Subscribed.

Excellent video, and man, gorgeous photos. It’s so easy to see exactly what you’re talking about while showing off your excellent eye for subjects.

This is really helpfull particularly when travelling since you don't have the time on tour side. You just shoot when you can.

Wonderful indeed.. All the practical tips you shared is much appreciated. I have tried some earlier and was satisfied with the results.

Thanks a lot! I one of those who sometimes realize that this shot would be completely different if taken early or late in the day. But I never managed to do that. Your advice was certainly very welcome. I will use it.

For the last couple of months or so I've found shooting at midday more fun, with what you said about people not being a morning person or simply not having the time, describes me perfectly. I normally shoot around midday on a Saturday because that's when it's in the Goldilocks zone of busy/not busy in my area and I also wanna sleep in from working all week. Some good tips in this one for sure!

I very rarely comment, but this is one of the most down to earth and impactful videos I’ve seen. Makes me want to run out and start trying out your tips. Brilliant work!

Beautiful example images of yours!

Yooo, this video helped me so much! You just put things in perspective for me cuz I normally shoot in daylight. I've really learned something today thanks Roman! 😃

Well done! Excellent advise

the photos were so beautiful!

great tips! I like the idea of going along with the contrast and not against it. never really thought about it that way.

Thanks Roman. Very interesting tips. Love your work

Bro your video is amazing. Legit subscribed 3 mins into watching this, you made so many good point and same here, when it comes to can only get out in the midday! Definitely going to try a lot of these tips out !

Great video! I love shooting midday.

This video is packed with awesome tips that come from years of experience. Thank you!

I love that you don’t shoot straight on and are willing to shoot frame scenes from unconventional perspectives🔥

This is great advice. I love the idea of not fighting high or low contrast. Things are how they are and if you lean into that it can out even better. Don't fix the natural beauty i would put it.

Stunning work sir

I actually really love shooting in harsh light, thank you, this was very instructive

As an Istanbulite photographer, I admire your work and happy to see you in this city. You won a subscriber here! Good luck...

Thank you, I am not an early morning person so your points were quite useful. 👍

One thing I LOVE to do with harsh sunlight is killing the sharpness of my image to avoid the cluttering like you were talking about. I use a bloom filter in conjunction with lowering the sharpness in post and it and the harsh the sunlight, the prettier it looks haha

Great photos! (and great advice). Really enjoyed this episode Roman. Thanks!