Help with an outdoor informal portrait

[Mike Buckley]

I will photograph my next-door neighbor at a large rock in the front yard of her father's farmhouse. The photo session will be at the same time of day that a pro took photos of the family. The sun will be mostly behind the subject with highlights being displayed only on the left cheek and temple and a similarly small part of her left arm. The pro used only the camera (no reflector or man-made light source) so I'll do the same to help ensure that my photo fits in with the other family photos as much as possible.

However, I would also like to make an image that is better than the pro's photos by exposing the image properly for the highlights (the pro overexposed them or at least post-processed them that way) and by lifting the subject's shadow areas at the time of capture using whatever method will work best. I'll take a 32" x 43" white reflector but it may not be useful. That's because I may have to place it too far away from the subject because of the requirements of the composition to include certain buildings on the property off to the side in the background. I have a Nikon SB 600 and a Nikon SB 800 speed light that I can place off-camera. I don't have an umbrella and my only soft box is a small strip soft box that is 12" x 36".

I also have a framed 24" x 36" piece of diffusion material. Would it be effective to create in effect a larger light source by placing that diffusion material slightly forward of the speed light?

Or is it my best bet to simply place a small piece of diffusion material over the speed light's head? Or should I use the diffuser built into the speed light?

I am limited to the equipment I already have (noted above) because this shoot was planned today to take place tomorrow morning with no opportunity to make it happen later. That's because of my schedule and the fact that the house on the property may be knocked down any day.

Any suggestions using my current equipment would be appreciated, as I don't normally do this kind of photography.

[Manfred M]

Expose for the faces and you will get over exposed highlights. I see no way around that. If you expose for the highlights, you are going to underexpose their faces, which will be worse as you would have to try to lift them in PP.

Your idea of using a reflector would work as would off camera flash, but would agree that a larger light modifier would be useful. Back-lit faces tend to be rather flat. If you can shoot the strip box from above and reasonably close to the subjects, that would help too.

Good luck!

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Manfred. Your thinking confirms what I had guessed. I'll probably go with an off-camera speed light with a small modifier I forgot I had that fits over the flash head.

[Digital]

Mike, if at all possible I would very much like to you to post the results of your shoot.


Bruce

[Mike Buckley]

I'll definitely post the results if there is a shoot. We learned this afternoon that parts of the buildings in the background have already been dismantled, so we don't know what we'll encounter.

[William W]

I will photograph my next-door neighbor at a large rock in the front yard of her father's farmhouse. . . . The sun will be mostly behind the subject with highlights being displayed only on the left cheek and temple and a similarly small part of her left arm. . . . I would also like to make an image that is better than the pro's photos by exposing the image properly for the highlights . . . I'll take a 32" x 43" white reflector but it may not be useful. . . . I have a Nikon SB 600 and a Nikon SB 800 speed light that I can place off-camera. I don't have an umbrella and my only soft box is a small strip soft box that is 12" x 36". I also have a framed 24" x 36" piece of diffusion material.

Would it be effective to create in effect a larger light source by placing that diffusion material slightly forward of the speed light . . . Or is it my best bet to simply place a small piece of diffusion material over the speed light's head? Or should I use the diffuser built into the speed light?


Any suggestions using my current equipment would be appreciated, as I don't normally do this kind of photography.

Reflector Fill:

From what you outline the reflector probably will NOT be very useful for the reason that you mentioned - you won't be able to get it close enough, unless you are FRAMING the Subject tight - e.g. tighter than an HALF SHOT. But as you mentioned it is best to take it anyway.

***

Flash Fill:

Diffusing your Speedlite(s) in any manner will reduce the Maximum Flash Working Distance.

In the shooting scenario you outlined, if I chose to use Speedlites, I would want enough Flash Power to overlay Off Camera Flash from CAMERA LEFT (to fill the shadows on Subject Right) in a range of up to about: –1 Stop ("minus one stop" i.e. enough Flash Power to make the Flash Exposure at one stop UNDER the "correct" ambient exposure for the highlight's that appear on Subject Left: noting that the "correct exposure" for the Sun-lit Highlight will be: F/11 @ 1/200s @ ISO 100).

As a working example -

IF you are shooting FULL LENGTH PORTRAIT (Portrait Orientation) and assuming you use an equivalent 85mm lens on 135 format camera, you’ll be at SD around 20 ft (6m) - that will give you a FoV at the Plane of Sharp Focus about: 8'4" x 5'6" (2.5m x 1.7m) - I am guessing that's big enough to have the "rock" in the frame - anyway this is only a working example, you can adapt it to suit the farming that you want to make.

In the example above you’ll want all the Flash Power that your Speedlite can manage, even if you have them off camera and can situate them closer to the Subject - so I think that any Flash Diffusion could be very dangerous concerning how diffusion will limit the amount of flash power that you can get as Fill Light especially into the deep shadow areas.

I advise that if you chose to use Flash as Fill, you first do mathematics to ensure that you have enough Flash Power to Fill adequately within the ISO and Aperture Range you'll be using keeping in mind the FLASH to SUBJECT Distance that you can reasonably achieve. for the FRAMING (FoV) and PERSPECTIVE (Lens FL) of the PORTRAIT that is required.

In any case, even if you feel confident diffusing the Flash after taking into account the loss of flash power that you'll have, I advise that you use direct flash as fill at least for some of the shots as a safety net.

Break a leg.

WW

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, William.

I won't bother doing the math with the flash. I'll be in a very relaxed situation, so I'll simply do a test shot at full power to determine if that's sufficient, knowing that I can dial it back if it's too much power. If it's not enough power, I'll turn the flash off.

Now that I've learned the circumstances regarding the buildings in the background, I might have to compromise by using a tighter frame than initially anticipated. The advantage of that revised composition is that the reflector may be sufficient or that the diffused flash might be sufficient.

The funny detail is that I might be mowing the grass before the shoot just to get an environment that is acceptable to my next-door neighbor. Shame on you for leaving that important detail out!

[Manfred M]

A trick I've used with a reflector is to set the camera on a tripod and shot the scene with the reflector in place and in the frame. Once I've finished there series of shots and without changing the focal length or aperture setting is to remove the reflector from the scene and take another shot. In Photoshop I just put the two layers together and paint out the reflector.

[Mike Buckley]

Great idea, Manfred! I can absolutely guarantee you that I would never have thought of that. That's the sort of creative solution that explains why I posted the thread even though I thought I knew the available solutions.

[William W]

Caution Note to "Painting out the reflector technique": - can be problematic if there are moving clouds in sky - beware of that for two reasons:

1. different background
2. different exposures if clouds cover sun

WW

[Manfred M]

Caution Note to "Painting out the reflector technique": - can be problematic if there are moving clouds in sky - beware of that for two reasons:

1. different background
2. different exposures if clouds cover sun

WW

Agreed Bill - Also a bit problematic with trees on a windy day. Things don't quite line up between the frames, but if the reflector is shot against a static object like a building, no problem.

[William W]

Yes - I meant to mention trees and wind and then in my haste, forgot. Thanks.

I was just looking for a link to a conversation in a W&P Forum where I visit - that conversation goes into much detail about the technique - I have fiddled with the technique but I haven't "used it" for a job.

If I find the link I will post it - thus far it is eluding me.

*

Sorry about missing the reminder for the lawn mowing - also please do a good job on the edges.

It might be redundant to mention this, Mike - but be very careful when you are judging by eye if you have enough Flash as Fill. I assume you will use the Camera's review screen - Personally I do not like using the Camera's Review Screen, especially outdoors.

Also if you are near the limit of your flash power, ensure that you allow enough recycle time - that's a trap if you get all enthusiastic and start shooting more quickly "on a roll" to capture "the moment".

WW

[Mike Buckley]

Though I ended up using only a camera, not a reflector and not a speed light, two photos along with the backstory are posted in this thread.

[Digital]

Though I ended up using only a camera, not a reflector and not a speed light, two photos along with the backstory are posted in this thread.

Mike, thank you so much for posting what happened with the shoot.


Bruce