10 Techniques For Better Outdoor Portraits

Take your subjects out of the studio, and embrace flattering natural light and varied environments for striking results

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High-end portrait and fashion shoots can become complex very quickly. Once you start using more than a single light, the photographer and lighting assistant’s workload increases exponentially, as they try to balance each light source for the perfect look. Once they’ve found this balance, they’re awarded with total control over the lighting ratio and style – one of the greatest advantages of shooting in a studio environment. However, a great deal of preparation, including setting up the lights and dressing a set, is required to produce reliable results.

This is where shooting outdoors becomes highly attractive. Natural light is the simplest and arguably most flattering light source available, while the outside world offers an endless variety of background effects and image themes, all at the photographer’s fingertips. Many professional portrait photographers insist on shooting in outside locations for these reasons. It can be easier and cheaper, and with a simplified lighting structure comes the ability to rapidly create a particular look.

Of course, shooting outside is not without its own challenges. There are hazards to identify and manage, both physical and practical. Planning is always required to ensure that you know the location you intend to use well, so that you won’t encounter unexpected obstacles. There’s also the matter of adjusting your approach to composition and exposure in order to maintain control over the distribution of highlights and shadows. You have to be mindful of colour control, and the effects that environmental colour can have on the appearance of your subject, too.