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Well don't take pics of her squinting into the sunlight whatever you do!!
Backlit shots are ideal but ideally you would use a reflector (home made if necessary) to throw some light into the face.
However it is possible to take some great backlit shots by getting your subject to hold a Kodak grey card in front of her face and taking your exposure reading off that. It's a technique I have used several times - usually with success.
Using a gray card to get exposure right does not alter contrast. It just makes sure the shot is of the correct density. If it is film, you have to use the correct film, if its B/W you have to get the dilution correct to make it soft working. I wish people would say in there question what they are using. There are three alternatives film, color or B/W, Digital Stan
Using a grey card, as previously pointed out, will give you more accurate exposure but won't do much to reduce contrast.
taking the picture in shade, maybe under a tree, will reduce the contrast but watch out for speckled sunlight through the leaves. You can also make use of the light coming in from the side of a shaded area to produce some modelling to your subject.
If you are taking the picture in bright sunlight then shoot with the sun behind your subject ( make sure the light isn't shining into your lens) and fill in with a reflector or a small amount of flash. If you are unsure of fill flash then start by shooting with the flash at 2 stops under the abient reading.This is a safe level of fill although lighting conditions may require more or less flash.
Timbo
Just to make it quite clear - I did NOT say that using a grey card altered contrast!!
I was suggesting trying backlit shots, as opposed to frontlit shots (as a way of reducing contrast) - and using a grey card to get correct exposure of the face.
Fill flash is a bit hit and miss. It's the type of thing better done with a digital camera where you can see if it has worked or not... immediately! In my opinion flash for portraiture is a last resort.
And indeed, if taking the pic under a tree - an often tempting option - it is all too easy not to notice the dappled effect the foliage can give.
Hmmm, not sure I'm comfortable with the statement that fill-in flash is better done with a digital camera. After all, it's a technique that has existed for as long as, er, flash. But I'm not here to start an argument!
I'm not an accomplished outdoor portraitist by any means, but a couple of principles that haven't really been mentioned are use of reflectors (yes, Carabosse did mention this but specifically for backlit shots - for top/front lighting, you can have the reflector under the model's chin, and on the opposite side of sidelighting) and pulling film. Pulling film (setting a lower iso) will reduce contrast. Also maybe try some shots exposing for shadow areas for a high key effect.
But you've been taking pictures longer than me, so you probably know all this anyway!
Steve
I often use fill in flash for outdoor portraits to reduce contrast and shadows on bright days.
I always find it works reasonably well, particularly if the camera has some 'intelligence' about how much flash to use.
My Ricoh GR1 and EOS300 built in flashes do a good job. Fitting a 420EX flash with a diffuser is better still.
My FUJI602 digital camera is not so clever and can easily over flash an image. However, the 602 has a flash output adjust facility so I normally set this to -0.3 or -0.6 EV and this gives better results.
Using reflectors is a better solution but only really viable for fixed location, posed shots. For more candid work, fill in flash is a good option.
Also, think about the natural lighting when you take the picture. On a bright sunny day take the portrait in a shaded area. It gives more even, gentle lighting and avoids the subject squinting at the camera!
If you can, a bit of subtle fill in flash usually helps to lift a portrait and also gives catchlights in the eyes which can improve the photo as well.
cheers
Sean
Fill-in flash using a digital camera is easier because you can see the result instantly! That's all.
As I say, fill-in is a bit hit and miss depending on the position of the main source of natural light (sun) and other factors. You can never quite predict the result.
Flash, other than bounced flash (obviously not relevant to outdoors!) often gives a 'sheen' to the skin which is not really what Anthony would want, methinks.
If taking in a shaded area on a bright day, beware blue tones to the pic. Easily corrected in Photoshop if the pic is digital (or digitised) but not an attractive element in a portrait if uncorrected. An UV filter will help - but not much!
Fill-in flash is easy, especially with digital and often essential in bright sun to avoid vast contrast variations.
Just use a flash with an aperture setting (or alter the flash exposure on a dedicated gun) to give you 2 stops underexposure for a subtle effect and 1 to 1 1/2 for a more pronounced effect. Check your results with digital or bracket with film. You can easily lessen the catchlights in PS if you need to.
Hi GoodbyeAll, looking at your portfolio, you never gave us your name. Regarding photo`s uploaded it reminds me of the classical music and paintings. Everybody throws their hands up in horror "Rubbish" they would shout, but today they say "Isn`t it wonderful". You can`t win.
Stan
Well, thanks to you all for taking the time to post messages. All of it will be useful, cheers. I shoot on 35 mm print film, with a Minolta 9000 plus Minolta lenses. My daughter usually does run a million miles when I get the camera out, but on this occasion, its for her benefit, and saves me paying 80 to get them done by someone else. (Long story) I will sort out a grey card for checking the exposure, and will get a reflector sorted too.
Again, my thanks for your help and advice everyone. If it works I will get some of the images posted for you all to cast your critical eye over.
Kind regards
Anthony
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