Outdoor portrait photography Guide- My recent portrait session with Shawna Hoffman

Shooting outdoors on location can have its challenges at times. Anything from weather, either ongoing or previous, to other people on the location can either aid or hinder your shooting process. Even if shooting a selfie, the background and the way the light is hitting your face can make all the difference. 


I cant tell you how many times I was shooting and had to stop what I was doing because I had some distraction in the background like people walking through, or had to run and grab reflectors because the light went overcast. Being prepared for a variety of situations can make or break your photo-shoots outdoors and in overcast weather. Bright summer sunshine might seem like the perfect light for shooting outdoor portraits, but these conditions can also produce the least successful results. With the sun high in the sky, ugly shadows will appear under your subject’s nose, chin and eye sockets.

It’s also worth remembering that looking into bright sunlight will make your model squint, resulting in unflattering shots. Use these simple tips to get the most from the light… I have provided examples from a recent shoot I did with my friend and fellow photographer Shawna Hoffman. 

 

Jeff Meyer over at digitalcameraworld.com says capturing great outdoor portraits takes a little more than just a sunny day and a willing model, though. 

What you’ll need

You don’t need masses of costly equipment to get great outdoor portraits. Here are some basic items that you’ll need to get started:

• Standard zoom lens
• Flashgun
• Reflector

Useful extras

Want to take your portraits to the next level? This additional kit will extend your lighting options, and help to give your photos a more professional look:

• Fast prime lens (such as a 50mm f/1.8)
• Telephoto zoom lens
• Wireless flash trigger
• Flash diffuser

Location

One of the great things about outdoor portrait photography is that you can shoot almost anywhere, from your back garden to a glorious tropical beach. But it’s important to know how to get the most out of any location you choose.

There are few hard and fast rules when it comes to working a location. If the location adds to your portrait, you can include the background, but if the location isn’t particularly photogenic, try using limited depth of field or tight framing to concentrate attention on your subject.

For the most striking portraits, it’s often best to keep things simple, so try to shoot against uncluttered backgrounds such as the sky, a wall or foliage. This will help your subject stand out.

Composition and framing

Try to position either your subject’s face (on a half or full-length portrait) or eyes (on a head-and-shoulders or close-up shot) using the rule of thirds. This gives a much more balanced composition than if they are in the center of the frame.

Make the most of natural light!

1 Find yourself some shade

A simple solution is to position your model in a shady area.

2 Wait for some cloud

Shooting in changing light means that you’ll need to work quickly to get your shots though, and you also need to watch the exposure. Make sure that you set the exposure for the model, rather than a bright or dark background.

3 Diffuse the light
If there aren’t any clouds to diffuse harsh light, you can get a similar effect by holding a diffuser between the subject and the sun. The diffuser can be as simple as a piece of translucent white cloth or one made specifically for the purpose.

4 Shoot into the light

For a completely different look, try getting your model to face away from the sun, and shoot into the light. You’ll need to avoid under-exposure, because the bright background will fool your camera’s meter. you'll also need a flash or reflector at this point to direct light back onto your subject. Simply position the reflector on the opposite side to the light source to lighten the darker areas of your subject, banishing ugly shadows in order to achieve a more professional finish.

These basic Tips should help you get underway in taking your first outdoor portraits! So get out there and give it a go! 

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