I photograph all over Hampton Roads, Virginia and each location I photograph I look for natural diffusers. A light diffuser is any material that scatters light. The purpose of a diffuser is to spread the light out so it is less harsh. A lot of studio photographers, newborns, even photographers that use flashes often diffuse their external lights.
I am more of a natural light photographer and prefer to photograph sessions outside. Depending on the time of the session, the sun can be bright and still harsh. I am always looking for a way to diffuse the sunlight using a natural diffuser. I often use trees, tree branches, or bushes to help block the sunlight.
The session below, I blocked the sunlight using a branch but was still able to have that soft sunlight glow.
This session the sun was already going down, so I used the tops of the trees. 
And this session I used the leaves of a bush to make a creative angle and diffuse the light. 