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Don't Fight the Sun
Videographers on a budget, however, can do a respectable job of shooting outdoors by using the sun rather than fighting it.
First, remember the three elements of classic, three-point lighting:
Key light is the main highlight on the subject. It's usually hard (casts sharp shadows) and comes from above and in front of the subject.
Fill is area lighting on the opposite front side of the subject, usually a soft light that fills in shadows cast by the key light (thereby reducing overall contrast range and flattering the subject).
Backlight comes from behind the subject and helps separate it from the background, giving the illusion of depth.
Assemble Your Tools
Besides the sun, you'll also need:
Bounce board—a large white card (such as foam-core) to reflect soft light—used for the soft key and fill
Shiny board—a bounce board with an aluminum-foil surface to reflect hard light—used for the key light (pro boards are two-sided—shiny and dull)
Flag—an opaque panel, usually black felt, for masking light
Silk—a panel of translucent white cloth or plastic, used to filter and soften a hard-light source
A production assistant can hold and position a panel during a shot or you can mount the reflector or mask on a C-stand (heavy-duty, all-purpose, hold-everything tripod used by movie crews).