harsh light
Squint-inducing illumination
Harsh light is bright, unfiltered illumination that creates strong contrasts and unflattering shadows.
Photographers avoid harsh light for portraits because it emphasizes wrinkles and imperfections: The harsh light of the bathroom mirror revealed every flaw.
Figuratively, to see something in a harsh light is to view it critically or unfavorably, with no softening of judgment.
- glareFierce stare or brightness
- blindingPainfully intense light
- squintPartly close eyes
- direct sunlightUnobstructed solar rays
- high noonSolar zenith, or confrontation
fluorescent · stark · exposure · overexposed · bleached · white · noon · sunlight · interrogation · interrogation room · truth serum · unflattering · clinical · sterile · operating room · shadowless · brilliance · dazzle
- lightsunlight, daylight, shine, rays, moonlight
- states of lightbright, dim, dark, glow, glare
- Sunlightsunbeam, sunbeams, sunshine, sunrise, rays
- light conditionsfull sun, partial shade, direct sunlight, shade, deep shade
- Natural Lightingsunlight, golden hour, blue hour, backlighting, backlit
- photography termsunderexposed, overexposed, exposure time, fisheye lens, fisheye
harsh lightsoft light
Gentle, diffused illumination
diffused light · filtered light · ambient light · indirect light · flat light
harsh lightsoft glow
Subdued, diffuse illumination
warm light · golden light · candlelight · firelight · twilight
harsh, light, harshly, harshness, harsher, harshest, lights, lit, lighted