How We Capture Stunning Photos Even in Bright Midday Sunlight
Secrets to flawless wedding images under the tropical sun
Midday Destination Engagement Session on a clear day in full sun
When you imagine your dream wedding in a tropical paradise, you probably envision crystal clear skies, turquoise waters, and golden sunlight. But let’s face it…not every venue is set up to offer areas of perfect lighting, and not every wedding-day timeline is conducive to you capturing photos in the prime “golden hour” lighting.
In fact, you may have even heard the nightmares of trying to shoot photos in midday sun. Harsh light, squinting eyes, and blown-out backgrounds can ruin even the most beautiful moments.
But do they have to?
Tucking into a stone wall nook during early afternoon pre-ceremony couples photos
This is where we find our skills and experience tend to outshine (no pun intended) our colleagues who work with natural-light only. Now sure, would we love to be able to summon cloud cover or have a remote control to turn down the sun on demand? Of course! Any photographer who tells you that they love fighting with a giant burning ball of flames in the sky is lying.
Early afternoon photos before the ceremony at Southernmost House (aka “Mansion by the Sea”)
Because we are based in, and specialize in, tropical and beach destination weddings, we’ve mastered the art of shooting under the most challenging lighting conditions—especially those radiant, sun-drenched afternoons. Our secret? A mix of expert technique, creative vision, and a deep knowledge of how to make nature work for you, not against you.
Let’s pull back the curtain and reveal a few of our favorite secrets to creating effortlessly elegant photos—no matter how bright the sun is shining.
Secret 1: We Face the Sun—So You Don’t Have To
Late afternoon skies behind the two brides atop the rock sea wall at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park
Sometimes there is just no avoiding it. We get to the spot we want to shoot in, and BAM! There’s the sun…right smack dab where we don’t want it to be. Instead of skipping the shot, we just position so that you’re facing away from the sun. This means no squinting, no harsh shadows on your face, and no discomfort. Instead, we make it so that the light in the background wraps around you.
Secret 2: ACCESSORIZE WITH ISLAND STYLE
You chose a tropical location for a reason.
Let’s celebrate it!
We love to incorporate
sunglasses
straw hats
colorful fans
and adorable parasols
to not only protect your eyes from the sun but also to add a touch of island chic style to your portraits.
These accessories bring personality, color, and a playful elegance that feels right at home in paradise.
Secret 3: “You Got to Move-it, Move-it”!
Skipping along the sandbar at Rest Beach during an afternoon shoot
Midday high noon celebratory piggy back ride at Smathers Beach
Let’s be honest—posing stiffly in the blazing heat doesn't feel glamorous. So, to keep from baking you in the midday sun, we bring the energy. From breaking out a few dance moves, skipping along the beach to stealing a celebratory piggy-back ride, we create moments that are full of life. When you’re having fun, you forget all about the camera (and the sun in your eyes) —and that’s when the magic happens.
Secret 4: Keeping Things a Bit “Shady”
Even in the brightest noon sun, we’re always searching for those precious pockets of shade. Whether it’s a gently-waving palm frond casting a teeny reprieve from the overhead rays, the corner of a cabana giving us a little rectangle of sand protected from the hot sun, or a momentary cloud that shields a spot for a few seconds, even just a tiny sliver of shadow can transform the lighting in a space such that we can turn an average image into one you’ll be excited to add to your album.
Secret 5: From “Ascent” to “Asset” - taking advantage of the sun’s overhead position
That’s no hair light ; it’s the early afternoon sun shining through from the background
Here's something most people forget: in high-end studios, photographers use expensive lighting rigs to create that coveted hair light by stretching a heavy boom arm up and out of frame, balanced with counterweights and powered with extension cords, all to get that signature separation between subject and background.
But when we’re outdoors, Mother Nature provides this kind of advanced setup for free. That shimmering halo around your hair? The sunburst peeking through the trees. It’s not a filter over the lens. It’s not Photoshop—it’s the sun (and a few adjustments in camera to get it just right), and we know exactly how to make the most of it.
SECRET 6: Embracing an occasional Black-&-White
Couple dancing on the sunset deck at Opal Key Resort during their destination Key West wedding
Handstand in a wedding dress? Sure thing!
You can probably tell that our specialty is vibrant color, but that doesn’t mean we are opposed to a strategic use of a nostalgic black-and-white image where the scene demands. Hamming it up with an impromptu handstand in less-than-ideal lighting? Gettin’ down on the dance floor with the sun spilling over (but the best angle was shooting toward your guests excitedly watching in the background)? Usually the colors work, but if they don’t, it’s “sayonara saturation!”.
Secret 7: We Bring the Big Guns (er, lights, that is)
Strolling back up the aisle after their midday beach ceremony, illuminated by both the afternoon sun and our powerful off-camera flashes
Sometimes, we have little control over where something takes place. If your bubble-blowing end-of-ceremony recessional is going to be at midday, we can’t use the excuse “oh well, the lighting wasn’t perfect, so we skipped that shot”. We know that there’s no way to predict every potential moment, so that’s why we bring serious lighting power to every wedding. With professional-grade off-camera lighting, we can balance out nature’s extremes—so your photos look perfectly lit, naturally elegant, and editorial-ready, even at high noon.
Secret 8: Tuck into Nearby Nooks and Crannies
There’s no law that says we have to create every image in broad daylight, with full open sky behind you. Just because your wedding day photography schedule requires that we shoot when the sun is high in the sky doesn’t mean that we can’t make use of more protected areas of the venue as well. If the location allows, we will also look for paths, walkways, hammocks, benches, fences, and otherwise-shaded spots to snuggle up.
Secret 9: Just Go For It!
At the end of the day, your wedding photos are about telling the story of the ACTUAL event….how it went, who was there, and what it ACTUALLY looked like. While we definitely infuse the secrets above to allow for epic and artful shots amid a midday photography timeline, one of our last tools in our toolbox is to just go for broke and throw caution to the wind in terms of lighting your shots. As we say throughout our portfolio and website, our approach is bold by nature, and full sun images are no exception.
Sometimes the beauty isn’t in the lighting but in the mere unscripted simplicity of a moment. Traipsing delicately over exposed coral rock at Sombrero Beach, the couple heads back happily to their party, accented by blue skies and a big expansive ocean splashing up lightly onto the shore behind them.
The way we see it — if you wanted a wedding in a temperature-controlled environment, with perfect diffusion of every ray of light and images that emitted museum-quality “chiaroscuro” in every single shot, you would not be getting married on an island….AmIRight?!
Lack of cloud cover won’t stop us from loving this punchy colorful shot.
Using the geometric shadow lines and hotspot of sun to our advantage
The dress, the wind, the open water, the look..what’s not to love?
And so, once the other tricks of the trade have been wielded to your advantage, we also just embrace the authentic imperfection of full sun images with their raw highlights, contrasting shadows, and the dappling of light that subconsciously screams “what an adventure we had”!
Luxury Photography That Shines—Literally
We believe that elevated photography isn't just about perfection—it's about artistry, resourcefulness, and the ability to make beauty shine under any condition. With decades of experience, a love for tropical light, and a few secret skills, we ensure that your wedding photos will still be nothing short of breathtaking in their pure, sun-drenched glamour.
