Hey photographer! Are you looking for some tips on how to find the best outdoor photography lighting? You’ve come to the right place. In this blog, I highlight my top three tips to help you find the best light for outdoor portraits. I’m Danielle! I’m a New Jersey photographer who specializes in using natural light on all of my photo sessions.

Tip #1 – Soft & Even Light is Best

Taking photos in light that is soft & even is the best for outdoor photos. How do you find that sort of light? The best time to find it is at golden hour. That is about one hour before sunset. Right as the sun is about to set, a beautiful soft light will spill out over the horizon. That is the light you want to aim for when doing outdoor photo sessions.

Another way to find soft & even light is on overcast days. The lighting on cloudy or overcast days is also very soft & even. The light filters through the clouds and spreads evenly throughout the landscape. This kind of light is ideal because it doesn’t cast unwanted shadows on your subject’s faces or bodies.

So if you are heading out to take some oudoor photos, remember to go during golden hour (one hour before sunset) or on an overcast day when the sun is sligthly hidden behind clouds.

Tip #2 – Avoid Harsh Light

My second tip for finding the best outdoor photography lighting is to avoid shooting in harsh light. What is harsh light? It’s the light that you find in the middle of the day when the sun is at it’s highest in the sky. This kind of light is opposite of soft & even. It’s often too bright which will leave your photos overexposed. This kind of light can also leave really dark shadows on your subject’s faces or it can cause squinting eyes. Try and avoid this kind of light if possible.

Tip #3- Choose a Location Wisely

My last tip on how to find the best outdoor photography lighting is choose your location wisely. What do I mean by this? You want to photograph in locations that let in a lot of light. The best locations are meadows with tall grass, beaches, or open fields. Stay away from areas with a lot of heavy tree cover. This will leave your photos too dark and dreary. So the next time you head out to take some outdoor photos, know your location before you go.

And that’s it! I hope you found these 3 tips on outdoor photography lighting helfpul. If you’d like to dive in a bit deeper; be sure to download my free guide on how to find consistent natural light on all of your photo shoots. If you have any specific questions about lighting or any other photography topic, I’d love for you send me a DM over on Instagram. Let’s connect!