Nude photographers often speak of “The Magic Hours.” This is a very important concept when it comes to lighting nude photography. This term refers to the brief periods of time just after sunrise and just before sunset. It’s at these times that the sun is low in the sky and casts a virtually shadowless and flatteringly golden tone onto subjects being photographed.
This type of light is in contrast to the hard shadows that are cast at other times of day when the sun is higher in the sky. At these times, photographing people in a complimentary way can be extremely difficult; in large part due to the harsh shadows that will appear on your subject’s face and body.
However, there are ways around this problem.
The image seen here is a good example of how it’s possible to shoot at midday and still get good results. By playing detective, you can determine the location of the sun at the time this picture was taken. The hard line of shadow that cuts across the model’s right breast and stomach is evidence for the sun’s location (almost directly above the model).
A shaded area can be produced in many different ways: large trees, walls, and even having an assistant hold up a piece of cardboard can all work well.
Additionally, a reflector was used to bounce a bit of light onto the front of the model to fill some of the harsh shadows.
Shooting glamour shots at midday isn’t impossible, though it usually requires some extra effort.
I’d love to hear any thoughts you have about solving tricky lighting situations. Share your expertise with other readers with a quick comment.
