Top Tips for taking family photos on a sunny day

Sunny vs. Cloudy Days

As a natural light photographer, the sun is my main light source. That means whether there are clear skies and the sun is shining or it is cloudy and gray, I always need to be aware of where my light source (the sun) is and how it is falling on my families.

Top Tips for Taking FAmily Photos on Sunny days

Squinty eyes, dappled light, harsh shadows, overexposed photos, these are just a few of the issues that can arise when taking photos on a clear day. As a photographer, here are my top tips on how to get the best photos of your family no matter how bright of a day it is.

Consider the time of day- If at all possible take your photos during golden hour (1 hour before sunset and/or 1 hour after sunrise). This time of day allows for beautiful soft light even on the clearest of days.
Have your family face their shadow- On a clear day, you should be able to easily recognize your shadow on the ground, turn and face that shadow so your subject has the light behind them. This allows for the most even light on their face. When taking the photo, have the sun slightly out of the frame unless you are hoping to get sun flare on your photo. I also love to have the sun filtering light from behind. One example of this would be having the light filtering in through a tree. I think it adds beautiful visual interest to the photo.
Take photos in the shade- Look for an area of shade and take photos there. If it is even shade on everyone (ie. on a covered porch), you may consider having everyone face the sun to have even light across everyone’s face, or place the sun at a 45* angle from your subjects.