Tricks for Tricky Lighting - How to Take Great Photos even in Bad Light
Send us a textHarsh midday highlights, blinding backlight, gloomy overcast, barely-there dawn… and full-on darkness. In this episode of The Wild Photographer, Court breaks down five common lighting scenarios that routinely present challenges for even experienced shooters—and gives you practical, field-tested fixes for each. From when to lean into the shadows, to when to under-expose, to the advantages of black-and-white photography, you’ll get settings, positioning tips, and creative pivots you can use on your very next outing.What you’ll learnHow to tame harsh midday light with even lighting, B&W conversions, fast shutters, and deep depth of field (hello, f/22 starbursts).Smart ways to handle backlighting: underexpose to protect highlights, pivot your position to remove sky, or embrace high-key silhouettes.Low-light playbook for golden hour: fast glass vs. slower zooms, workable shutter rules with IBIS, intentional motion blur, and when to “shoot dark.”Why flat, cloudy light is secretly great—and how to add shape and depth with composition, shallow DOF, and selective post work.A simple, repeatable night wildlife recipe (spot metering + auto ISO + shallow aperture + slight underexposure) that actually works.Chapter markers00:00 – Welcome & Episode Setup: Five “tricky light” scenarios you’ll face in the field.02:05 – Sponsors & Resources: Art Storefronts overview + Lensrentals promo; YouTube & blog pointers.06:30 – Harsh Midday Light: Seek even light; when to go black & white; leverage F11–F22 and ultra-fast shutters; birds-in-flight at noon.14:55 – Backlighting: Why highlights are hard to recover; underexpose a touch, use spot metering, minimize sky by changing your angle/elevation; creative high-key looks.23:40 – Low Light / Golden Hour: Start at widest aperture; practical shutter targets with/without IBIS; widen out if needed; intentional motion blur & panning; purposefully underexpose for mood.34:10 – Flat, Cloudy Light: Even light advantages; watch for edge-of-cloud transitions; add depth via background distance and shallow DOF; post tweaks (contrast, clarity, dehaze).42:45 – Night Wildlife: The simple settings stack; why spot metering + underexposure isolates the subject and keeps the scene clean.49:30 – Wrap-Up & Next Steps: Recap, podcast reviews, where to find Court’s portfolio and videos.Court's Websites Check out Court’s photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com Sign up for Court's photo, conservation and travel blog at www.courtwhelan.com Follow Court on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips View Court's personal and recommended camera gear Sponsors and Promo Codes: ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design. LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off ShimodaDesigns.com - Whelan10 for 10% off Arthelper.Ai - Mention this podcast for a 6 month free trial of Pro Version AG1 - Daily (and Travel) Nutrition (use link for free travel packs and other goodies)
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