Shoot-out at high noon

When the sun is high in the sky and the light is harsh and unforgiving it's tempting to put your camera away and go for an afternoon siesta. However, there are ways you can extend your shooting time and take advantage of the fierce midday sun. Tracy Calder and three professional photographers share their tips

- Tracy Calder

Black & white

José Luis Barcia Fernández 

José started taking pictures with an iPhone in 2011, and it soon became his preferred tool for creative expression. He has a degree in chemistry and works as a logistics coordinator for an international distribution company. In his spare time, he can be found photographing street scenes and architecture. Based in Spain, but with a passion for travel, his work has been exhibited widely, and has appeared in numerous high-profile titles including The Washington Post, The Guardian and GQ. To see more visit lensculture.com/joseluisbarcia and www.instagram.com/joseluisbarcia

Strip away the colour

The absence of colour allows you to focus on the subject, prioritising lines, shapes and composition. Situations that go unnoticed in colour can work beautifully in black & white. Stripping away colour is an effective way to deal with harsh, midday sun, but that doesn’t mean you can use it to rescue a poor shot. To shoot black & white in-camera, set your device to monochrome mode and make use of the greyscale preview on the LCD screen. If you don’t want to lose colour info, shoot raw and produce different versions in post-production. José Luis Barcia Fernández

Don’t be afraid of the dark