How to Take Great Portraits in Bad Light: 9 Tips (VIDEO)

Anyone can take a decent photo in good light but how to you fare when the lighting is extremely harsh on your subject? In the below easy photo tutorial, Rachel and Daniel from Mango Street give you some handy advice on how to shoot great portraits in bad light.

"Ideally, for us, our favorite time to shoot is during golden hour," Rachel says. "But you don't always get to choose what time you shoot and sometimes you want to shoot in a style that's not conducive to soft light. So today we're going to tell you everything you need to know about shooting portraits in hard light."

In the below video, Rachel and Daniel share 9 quick tips on shooting in tough lighting conditions:

#1 Bounce Light with a Reflector

#2 Reflector Under the Face

#3 Reflector + Flash

#4 Diffuse the Sun

#5 Find Total Shade

#6 Embrace Fun Shadows

#7 Use Window Reflections

#8 Tips When Shooting

#9 How to Edit Hard Light Photos

So, watch the video and get out there and try some of these simple techniques for your next outdoor portrait session. You should also check out Michael Sasser's tutorial on how to shoot at noon in bright light.

And don't forget to visit and subscribe to Mango Street's awesome photography channel!

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