Capturing Photos For Canvas When The Sun Is Shining

Now that spring is firmly underway, we're seeing plenty of clear skies and increasing sunny spells across the UK at the moment. This is great news for sun worshippers and lovers of the outdoors - but bright sunlight can play havoc if you're trying to take photos! With many amateur photographers now choosing to record their own images for printing onto canvas, here are 5 of our top tips for taking photos when the sun is beating down.

1. Block it out - we should be grateful of the sunshine, but if you've got a shot you really want to capture and the sun is creating an issue, it's worth taking an umbrella (preferably a fishing umbrella due to its superior size) or even a huge sheet of cardboard with you, which you can use to create a shadow and block out those bright beams.

2. Change your angle - you may have found the perfect subject for your photo, but don't assume that your current position is the only way to shoot it. If the sun is causing you a problem, move around and look for alternative perspectives; this could remove the sunlight issues while still providing the perfect image for your print.

3. Choose your time - while the midday sun may cause all kinds of lighting predicaments, by heading out earlier or later in the day you could find that the sun becomes an ally rather than your arch nemesis! Shooting images early in the morning or at dusk can give you some incredible moods and colours without the challenges of daytime sunshine.

4. Equipment and techniques – there are different ways that you can improve your photography when shooting in bright sunshine. You can use fill flash which will even out the saturation and shadows, or use a reflector to make the most of the light. You can also choose a natural density or polarising filter which will keep the bright light in check.

5. Silhouettes and long shadows - you can get some great canvas prints by choosing images that are a little less than usual; why not use the bright sunlight to your advantage and shoot your subject as a silhouette instead? Equally, with the sun shining brightly, you can choose to shoot earlier or later in the day and take advantage of the incredible long shadows that the light will cast. This can add a unique perspective and style to your photo, and you can take your time to experiment if you’re starting at the crack of dawn! 

There is plenty of advice available online if you’re a keen amateur photographer and you want to shoot an image for canvas printing – or you can bookmark our blog and pop by once in a while to take advantage of our useful tips!