Using Sunshine in Portraiture

[Benji]

Numerous times here on Photocamel I see photographers using direct sunshine as the main light in portraiture. This can be done in the early morning or late evening with a white reflector or flash to fill in the shadows, but in between those times sunshine is very difficult to control unless you have a staff of five or six to hold the required diffusers, reflectors or scrims. Also fumbling with a light stand and clamps to hold an too small diffuser in even a light breeze will result in more time spend trying to set it up than you will shooting.

If you are like me I like to travel light. A camera, meter, reflector, a zebra card and maybe an off camera flash is about all I want to lug around even with my ever present assistant along to help.

When you arrive at the scene of the shoot all one needs to do is LOOK at what the lighting is doing to the face of the subject and then determine if the lighting that is there is sufficient, or does it need a reflector or an off camera flash to supplement it. The off camera flash can be used as a main light, or a fill light. If the off camera flash is used as a main light it should be placed where the shadows cast by it will render a pleasing light pattern. You will set the aperture based on the output of the flash, and the shutter speed will regulate the ambient light which is now the background/hair/fill lights. If you are using the off camera flash as a fill light, it should be about 2/3rds of a stop LESS than the highlight side and held above the camera.

In the example images below all were lit by sunshine that was bounced off of a nearby building. No additional lighting was used, although if needed I did have the above items along "just in case."

Benji

P.S. Watch for another upcoming tutorial on using off camera flash as both a fill light and a main light, but not at the same time

[clarebear]

thanks for posting this benji! this is something i am really trying hard to work on...controlling ambient light.

do you have anything posted on using sunlight with fill flash?

clare

[clickmepp]

Great Tips...Would you mind to share the Metering Technique used to control the exposure and Exposure info as well...

Looking forward to your next Tutorial..

[Benji]

I took my hand held meter and placed the dome facing the brightest side of her face and set that reading into the camera.

Ben

[brice]

Another nice mini tut Benji. Have you thought of taking an environmental shot that shows the perspective of the model relative to the building providing the reflection? Helps see the light source or direction from the light source, in the case of the sun being the sole source...

Thank you for taking the time do offer these tips and techniques.

[Benji]

Originally Posted by brice

Another nice mini tut Benji. Have you thought of taking an environmental shot that shows the perspective of the model relative to the building providing the reflection? Helps see the light source or direction from the light source, in the case of the sun being the sole source...

Thank you for taking the time do offer these tips and techniques.

Brice,

I could take a shot of the two buildings tomorrow. Of course the subject wouldn't be in it but it might help you get an idea of the distance. Let me know if you are interested. It is about 1/2 block away from my studio.

Ben

[coalcliff]

I am still in admiration as Benji doesn't have to use a tripod to capture his portraits!
and of course his great advice!!

[brice]

Originally Posted by Benji

Brice,

I could take a shot of the two buildings tomorrow. Of course the subject wouldn't be in it but it might help you get an idea of the distance. Let me know if you are interested. It is about 1/2 block away from my studio.

Ben

Sure, I'd like to see it! Thanks Benji...

[Benji]

Originally Posted by brice

Sure, I'd like to see it! Thanks Benji...

Brice,

Here are the images. I needed an extreme wide angle lens so bear with me. In the first image "WB" means white building and "CH" means courthouse I was about 3/4 of a block away standing in the middle of the street horns honking at me so it was a grab shot. The second shot shows the courthouse where the young lady was posed and the last shot shows the white building across the street. I am guessing the distance between these two buildings is about 250 feet. I would have liked to have gone up on the steps and stand where the senior gal was seated and shoot across to the white building, but they were pouring an entirely new concrete slab all the way across the front of the courthouse today (you can see the construction truck and cones in the first shot) so I couldnt get up there easily.

Ben

[MagicNikon]

Another nice tutorial. Thanks.

[brice]

It's amazing you were able to get enough bounce at that distance between buildings. Whatever works though, right?

I love the look and feel of small towns like this.

Thanks for sharing.