When most folks think of portrait photography, they envision studio lighting, canvas backdrops, and a camera perched upon a tripod. But many photographers don’t have access to lavish professional studios, and honestly, it’s not necessary for dynamite portraits.

Figure 1 illustrates that you don’t need an expensive photo
studio to take pleasing outdoor portraits. After a little experimentation,
a high camera angle was used to minimize distracting
background elements. The model was positioned so
the sun was on her back to create a rim lighting effect on the
hair and shoulders. Then fill flash was added for even exposure
on the face.

Figure 1 - Outdoor portrait with fill flash and rim lighting (f-4 at 1/60th of a second)

All you really need is a willing subject, a decent outdoor setting (preferably with trees), and your digital camera. Then you can be on your way to creating outstanding images. First, start with the two magic rules for great outdoor portraits are:

Get close. The tighter you frame the shot, the more impact it
will have. Extend your zoom lens and move your feet to
create more powerful images. Once you’ve moved in close,
and have shot a series of images, get closer and shoot
again.

Use fill flash. Turning on the flash outdoors is a trick that
wedding photographers have been using for years. If you
really want to impress your subjects, position them in the
open shade (such as under a tree) with a nice background
in the distance. Then turn on the fill flash and make sure
you’re standing within 10 feet (so the flash can reach the
subject). Your shots will be beautiful.

Once you’ve found a setting that you like and have everything in order, then “work the scene.” Start by taking a few straightforward images. Pay close attention while you have the model turn a little to the left, then to the right. When you see a position you like, shoot a few frames.

(Don’t get too carried away with this “working the angles” thing, or people will hate you. You’re not a swimsuit photographer on a Sports Illustrated location shoot. But the point is, don’t be afraid to experiment with different camera positions. Just do it quickly.)
Then move in closer and work a few more angles. Raise the camera and have the model look upward; lower the camera and have the subject look away. Be sure to take lots of shots while experimenting with angles, because once you’re finished shooting and review the images later on your computer screen, you’ll discard many of the pictures that looked great on the
camera’s LCD monitor. The problem is that when they’re enlarged, you’ll see bothersome imperfections you didn’t notice before.

What if you need to take a portrait in a chaotic situation,
such as this shot of an Olympic Torch carrier on a busy street
(Figure 2)? One solution is to lower the camera angle and
use the blue sky as the backdrop. Don’t forget to turn on the
fill flash!

Communicate with your subjects and try to put them at ease.  Nobody likes the silent treatment from the photographer. It makes them feel like you’re unhappy with how the shoot is going.  Here are a few other things to avoid when shooting outdoor portraits.

Avoid side lighting on women’s faces. Light coming in from the
side accentuates texture. That’s the last thing most female
models want to see in their shots because texture equates
to skin aging or imperfections. Use a fill flash to minimize
texture and avoid side lighting unless for special effect.

Figure 2. Low camera angle using the blue sky as a backdrop (f-5.6 at 1/250th of a second; fill flash)

Don’t show frustration. Never, ever, never make subjects feel
it’s their fault that the shoot isn’t going well. They’re
already putting their self-confidence on the line by letting
you take their picture. Don’t make them regret that
decision. When shots go well, credit goes to the models.
When shots go bad, it’s the photographer’s fault. Keep
your ego in check so theirs can stay intact.

Avoid skimping on time or the number of frames you shoot.
Your images may look good on that little 2″ LCD monitor,
but when you blow them up on the computer screen,
you’re going to see lots of things you don’t like. Take many
shots of each pose, and if you’re lucky, you’ll end up with
a few you really like.

Don’t torture models by making them look into the sun. Yes, you
were told for years to shoot with the sun to your back.
That rule was devised by the photographer, not the model.
Blasting your subjects’ retinas with direct sun is only going
to make them squint and sweat (and swear). Be kind to
your models and they’ll reward you with great shots.
Avoid busy backgrounds. Bright colors, linear patterns, and
chaotic landscape elements will detract from your compositions.
Look for continuous tones without the hum of distracting
elements.

Now that the basics are covered, here are a couple of super  pro tips. These aren’t techniques that you should use until you have good, solid shots recorded on your memory card. But once you do, maybe try these.

Soft background portraits. These are simply lovely. A soft,
slightly out of focus background keeps the viewer’s eye on
the model and gives your shots a real professional look.
The mechanics of this technique are described in
Chapter 2 under “Aperture Priority Mode.”

Rim lighting for portraits. When you place the sun behind the
model, often you get highlights along the hair. Certain hairstyles
really accentuate this effect. Remember to use fill flash
for this setup or your model’s face will be underexposed.

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