Unless you limit yourself to early morning or late afternoon, chances are you’re going to have to deal with full sun when taking portraits outdoors this summer. Unfortunately, this is how they’ll look:

Does she look happy? No. That’s because she isn’t. The sun is in her eyes and she’s miserable.

Not only will you get squinted eyes and uncomfortable subjects, you’ll also get harsh shadows from the overhead light.

Don’t give up! Here are two easy tips for great outdoor portraits in the middle of the day.

Move into the Shade

Try to avoid dappled shade, which will make splotchy light and dark patches on your subject. If the photo seems a little dark, you can make a minor exposure adjustment either in post-processing or camera. If you adjust the exposure compensation on your camera, just don’t forget to reset it. I have an out-of-state blogging buddy who was unhappy with her photos for months. I looked at her camera and realized that her exposure compensation had been dialed down, and therefore all of her photos were being underexposed.

Use a Diffuser

Another option is a hand-held diffuser, which can be held just above the subject’s head, blocking the direct sun. In this photo you can see how close to her I’m holding it. For close-ups, you can hold both the camera and diffuser yourself.

A helper is nice, too.

See how much more comfortable she looks than the in one with direct sun and no diffuser?

I’m using a 5-in-1 reflector, which folds up compactly into a carrying case. There is a zippered cover with four different reflector surfaces. If you remove the reflector cover, you’re left with the diffuser underneath. Mine is only 32″, but I would definitely recommend going with one slightly larger, like this 40″ model. You can use it with the gold reflector cover to bounce sunlight back in the shade, if you’ve placed your subject there.

I hope these options help you when faced with full sun. Get out there and enjoy the summer, and happy shooting!