Shooting in old barns
To me, the worst light starts mid-morning and end mid-afternoon. These are the times I avoid shooting since I know the photos would have a hard time coming out the way I’d want them to.
There have been times when I had no choice but to shoot in less than ideal light. If, for example I’m traveling and can’t come back to a location when the light is better. Or, the only time someone is available is during those times of harsh light. If the location doesn’t open until the sun is high in the sky, or it closes early. I’m sure there’s other examples that you have experienced like family members who think you need your head examined if you think they’re getting up for a portrait during the sunrise light…like my daughters for three examples!!
One problem that always comes up is when I’m conducting one of my my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops. After an early morning shoot we will spend several hours discussing the images that were shot the day before. After lunch we’ll go out and shoot. This is when the light is usually hot and harsh.
So, what do you do? As I also tell my online students with the BPSOP, you look for ways to minimize the sky or hide it completely. Or, you find locations can only be photographed when the sun is high; for example small villages with narrow streets. That’s when you look for areas in shadow next to the areas in the sun; so you can create contrast…one of the ways to generate visual tension.
I’m sure you’ve all seen or taken those pictures where the sky is a whitish blue from being photographed during mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Another idea is to go indoors and shoot the available light coming in from a window.
When you’re not taking one of my workshops, you can go out in the country and look for old barns or antique stores. There’s always subject matter there, you just have to look for it. I’ve had success in junkyards, and those places where old cars go to die is a potential plethora of photo opts.
Here’s some examples:
Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime. I just announced my New York, New York Workshop beginning September 17th ,2019 and ending at noon on the 23rd. This will be my second workshop there and this time we’ll be shooting in all the five boroughs.
JoeB
