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CAPTURED - Weekly Newsletter

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Don’t Fear Harsh Light. Use it.

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Last week I was in Greece shooting a wedding.

I only had one free morning to explore with my camera, and of course, it was midday.

No golden hour. No soft light. Just sun blaring from above and everything looking flat, bright, and harsh.

But I still captured photos I liked.

Not by waiting for better light.

Just by learning how to work with what I had.

So today, I want to explain how I do this...let's dive in!

What I've Learned About Harsh Light...

For a long time, I avoided shooting in the middle of the day.

I thought it was pointless.

Harsh shadows, overexposed skies, nothing looked how I wanted.

I only wanted soft, ethereal scenes...the kind of thing that looked perfect on IG.

But eventually, I realised if I only ever shoot in “perfect” conditions, I’m scraping the surface of what I could learn.

Not only was I missing 80% of the day and wasting time in new places…

I was also avoiding one of the best ways to get better, figuring out how to handle light I couldn’t control.

Wanna know the funny thing?

Some of my favourite images now are the ones where the light wasn’t easy.

They don’t always make it into my highlights, but they’ve made me better...because they force you to think differently, both while shooting and in the edit.

Here’s what helps me most.

Use the Light You Do Have

I look for two things when shooting in harsh light:

Open shade – that spot where the shade meets the sun, like next to a wall or under a tree. It softens your subject but keeps the background colourful and clean.

Bounced light – when sunlight hits something bright like a white wall and reflects into the nearby space. It gives you this soft, even light that’s not direct sun or full shade, just this calm middle ground.

Sometimes...Lean into the Harshness

You don’t always need to avoid it. Sometimes the better move is to embrace it.

On this trip to Greece, I shot a few wide frames of the sea.

The sun was harsh and high, but it kind of worked.

The photos don’t look dreamy or romantic.

But they feel like summer.

You can sense the heat and brightness and the sharp coolness of the water.

That’s the thing.

Photography doesn’t have to look perfect. It just has to feel honest.

Frame Through Something

Foreground helps a lot in light like this.

Use trees, buildings, poles, anything around you.

Shooting through things helps shape the light and gives your photo structure.

It also helps literally 'block' the light in your scenes.

One of my shots from that morning used palm trees to block the sun and divide the sky.

It added some depth and helped balance the exposure too.

It’s simple, but it works.

Calm it Down in the Edit

Midday light washes out a lot of detail.

So my edit is all about softening that harshness.

I usually start with one of my base presets, then:

• drop the exposure
• reduce whites
• lift the blacks
• bring down contrast
• tone down the yellows and blues
• soften the clarity

I’m not trying to fake golden hour. I’m just calming the image down.

That way, it still feels real, but not as intense or heavy.

Perfection Isn't the Point

If you’re travelling or shooting as a hobby, you don’t always get to pick the time of day.

But that doesn’t mean you skip the photo.

Learning how to shoot in any light makes you better.

Not because every shot is perfect.

But because you’re no longer waiting for things to be ideal before you create something.

And that’s where growth happens.

Catch you next week,

Matty 📷 🚀

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Whenever you're ready, there are 3 more ways I can help you:​

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🚀 Free Training – If you’re ready to grow your brand & start making money with photography, this is for you.

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🤔 Not quite there yet? Start here:

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📸 My Photography Course – Learn the fundamentals & take pro-level shots with my beginner course.

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🎨 Level Up Your Edits – Make your photos pop instantly with my Lightroom presets.

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