Struggling With Harsh Sun?
Here's How to Take Better 35mm Film Photos!

Summer is one of the best times to shoot film.

Long days, blue skies, and bright sunshine create incredible opportunities for photography. But if you've ever had a 35mm film roll developed after a sunny day out, you'll know that harsh sunlight can also be one of the biggest challenges in film photography and analog photography.

Blown highlights, deep shadows, and high-contrast scenes can quickly turn a great moment into a disappointing negative.

The good news?

Film is actually much more forgiving than many people think. With a few simple techniques, you can use bright sunlight to your advantage and create stunning images full of contrast and character.

Here are three easy tips to help you take better 35mm film photos in harsh sun this summer.

Shoot With the Sun Behind You (Most of the Time)

When shooting film in bright sunlight, your light source matters more than you think.

For beginners, one of the easiest ways to improve exposure is to keep the sun behind you or slightly to the side. This ensures your subject is evenly lit and reduces the risk of underexposed faces or lost detail.

Popular photographic film stocks like Kodak Gold 200, Kodak Ultramax 400, and Fujifilm 400 perform beautifully in sunny conditions when exposed correctly, making them some of the best 35mm film choices for summer photography.

If you're shooting portraits with a manual or point-and-shoot film camera, avoid placing your subject directly under midday sun. Instead, look for open shade near buildings, trees, or alleyways for softer light and more flattering results.

Small changes in positioning can make a huge difference.

The images were shot on Kodak Gold 200
(Photos taken by @dianas_vibes)

 

Meter for the Shadows, Not the Highlights

First of all, let’s understand what “lightmeter” actually means.

To meter simply means to measure light. When you meter a scene, your camera or light meter is deciding how bright or dark the image should be, and setting your exposure based on that information. In film photography, this helps you decide the right balance between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO so your film is exposed correctly.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when shooting 35mm film is exposing for the brightest part of the scene.

Unlike digital cameras, negative film generally handles overexposure much better than underexposure. If in doubt, it's often better to slightly overexpose your film.

When shooting high-contrast scenes, meter for the shadows or the grey tones instead of the brightest part of the scene.
Think of a scene as having three tonal areas: highlights, shadows, and midtones (or grey tones). If you meter for the highlights, the shadows may become too dark and lose detail. If you meter for the shadows, the highlights will become brighter and may even overexpose. Metering for a midtone usually gives the most balanced exposure, but in high-contrast lighting, finding a true midtone can be difficult. Since negative film handles overexposure better than underexposure, it's often safer to meter for the shadows or midtones rather than the brightest areas.

This helps preserve detail where it matters most and gives your film lab more information to work with during scanning, resulting in better film developing and higher-quality scans.

A properly exposed negative almost always leads to cleaner scans, richer colours, and better overall results.

As many film photographers say:

"Expose for the shadows, develop for the highlights."

A great example of using shadow focused exposure to achieve balanced film results.
The image was shot on Kodak ColorPlus 200 - 35mm film
(Photos taken by @jandastudiosheffield)

 

Embrace the Contrast

Harsh sunlight isn't always the enemy.

In fact, some of the most iconic film photographs ever taken were shot in bright midday sun.

Strong shadows can add depth, shape, and drama to your images. Street photography, architecture, and travel photography often look incredible in high-contrast conditions.

The images were shot on Lomography LomoChrome Classicolor 200 - 35mm film
(Photos taken by @ecxfilm)

 

Black and white film stocks like Ilford HP5 Plus 400 or Kentmere Pan 400 are especially well suited to harsh light, producing bold shadows and timeless images full of character.

Instead of avoiding the sun, try using it creatively.

Look for interesting shadows, silhouettes, reflections, and patterns created by strong light. What feels difficult at first can quickly become one of your favourite shooting conditions.

Whether you're shooting with a classic film camera, loading your first 35mm film roll, or working on a new film photography project, learning to use harsh sunlight creatively can elevate your photography.

The images were shot on Kentmere Pan 400
(Photos taken by @mi_35mm)

Final Thoughts

Bright summer days don't have to be difficult for film photographers.

With a few simple adjustments - positioning your subject carefully, exposing for shadows, and embracing contrast - you can create beautiful images even in the harshest sunlight.

Whether you're shooting your first roll of Kodak film or experimenting with different 35mm film stocks, learning to work with light is one of the fastest ways to improve your photography.

And remember: great negatives deserve great development.

At J&A Studio, our Sheffield-based film lab specialises in professional 35mm film developing, high-quality scans, and fresh photographic film for photographers across the UK. Whether you're shooting on a vintage camera or a modern point-and-shoot, we're here to help you get the very best from every frame.

If you’ve been shooting this summer, we’d love to see what you’ve captured. Don’t forget to tag us in your photos on social media @jandastudiosheffield so we can share your work.

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All images featured in this blog are produced by J&A Studio – a professional photo studio and film lab, click here if you are looking for 35mm film developing from us.

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