2. Photograph when the Sun is Low (BEFORE & AFTER). My favorite time to go to the park is after dinner. My family eats early so that when we go to the park most people are eating dinner which means we have the playground to ourselves. Most importantly, however, is that the sun is lower in the sky. I think this is the most important of all of the secrets. When the sun is high, you get harsh shadows and awful color casts on your kids. Notice the first photo below. Although Sawyer is obviously adorable as she is about to go down the slide, the lighting is poor. Her skin looks red from the sunlight bouncing off of the slide, and she has unflattering shadows. Now notice the light in the next photo. The sun is low and only skims the tops of their heads. The faces are more evenly lit and the harsh color casts are gone. By photographing when the sun is low, I am able to capture moments without worrying about harsh shadows or awful color casts!