There's a really simple rule in lighting. If you learn it your photography will be greatly improved. That rule is this:

Larger light sources give off soft light and gentle shadows. Smaller light sources give off hard light and harsh shadows.

So the larger your light source, the softer your light. Professional photographers spend thousands of dollars on studio lighting equipment that softens the light they pour onto their subjects. Soft, three-dimensional light is a sure sign of a professional photograph.

But this tip is going to assume you don't have thousands of dollars to spend on professional studio lighting. We need to way to find free, available soft light. The answer, my friends, is found in the shade.

Think of how obvious it is. The sun is as small a light source as you can find. But in the shade, the light source is the entire expanse of the sky. That's why some of the best available light is found shooting either in the shade or on an overcast day. This light is beautifully soft and shadows are minimized. Plus, it's free. Photographing in the shade provides you with a very effective open-air studio.

Advantages to the Shade

If you've ever tried to photograph a fully dressed bride and groom on a 100-degree summer afternoon, you know there are other advantages to photographing in the cool shade. The soft light isn't the only refreshing aspect to it. In addition, people are much less prone to squinting when you move them out of the harsh sun and into the soothing shade.

White Balance

Could it be easier to set your white balance for shade? Simply set the camera to the "shade" pre-set white balance and you should have near-perfect color and tone.

Backgrounds

One thing to be careful of in the shade is your background. If you shoot your subject in the shade but the background is sunlit, keep in mind that the sunlit areas are going to show up very bright. The shade is two or three stops darker than sunlight. If you want a light background, you'll get it. But if you want something less contrasty, try to balance the light in your frame by using a shady background.

Free Studio

One of the best tricks for beautiful available light portraits is to find an open door to a garage or warehouse or similar large indoor building facing away from the sun. Have your subject stand in the doorway facing you, outside. The light inside is often dim enough to give you a perfectly black background. This photograph of a wrestler and his teddy bear was taken using this technique.

This is a great way to take beautifully-lit portraits with no equipment other than your camera. Give it a shot.