Advice - Model Photographing...

[Heather Koch]

Hey guys, I have been on this forum before and was an active user, but its been a few months since then and I forgot my user and password... So I am back with a new identity


Background Info:

I've been asked to shoot my first (outside of family) modeling shots. I shoot mostly landscapes and detail work. I did my sisters senior pictures and I've done dancing poses.

I will be using my d7000 and 12-24mm or 18-200mm. Shooting near a river and an old barn.

Question:

What is the best advice you can give me when shooting a person outdoors with natural light?


Thanks in advance

 

[Derrel]

Try to avoid lighting that leads to "raccoon eyes", which are dark, un-lighted eye sockets, and eyeballs that do not have any catchlights on the actual eyeballs. Getting catchlights on the eyeballs themselves can be accomplished by using a reflector, which adds "eye sparkle". Getting catchlights on the eyeballs themselves can be accomplished by shooting in an open, shaded area where there is a BIG, BRIGHT area of open sky behind you, the photographer, with the subject facing toward that area of bright sky; this can be found under overhead awnings, in the shade of an alley between two buildings; in the shade of many houses; and the very edge of the shade cast by a large roundish tree, like an oak tree. A third way to getting catchlights on the eyeballs themselves is to use a small amount of fill-flash, which brightens the eyeballs.

Avoiding raccoon eyes is probably the single biggest issue to try to accomplish.

 

[xzyragon]

Set the subject up the way you want, then compose the shot. And compose again.

A useful piece of advice I got from someone on here is to take a step back and think about your composition. Usually the first place you go isn't the absolute best.

Also, it helps to know how to pose your model. Sometimes they know how to do it, sometimes they don't. And have some sample pictures or illustrations to give them ideas on poses.

 

[Heather Koch]

Thank you both so much!

Raccoon eyes is my number one scare. When I did my sisters senior photos (first time shooting a person) we shot them on the beach and at the time the eyes weren't my focus because I was new, but as I was editing the photos I noticed a lot of them with "raccoon eyes" which now I know eyes should be my main focus

Poses are also an issue for me, I am hoping the model knows her poses, I also like natural looking poses, so setting them up too much, isn't my style. I will have to do some more research on "natural" poses.

Thanks!

 

[snowbear]

Welcome back.

It's probably not a good idea to shoot naked models outside, unless you're in a secluded area; certainly not in downtown Detroit or Grand Rapids.

 

[Heather Koch]

Welcome back.

It's probably not a good idea to shoot naked models outside, unless you're in a secluded area; certainly not in downtown Detroit or Grand Rapids.

Lol let me clarify, my model ISN'T naked

 

[snowbear]

Future reference.

 

[snowbear]

By the way, my lovely wife is from Monroe, MI

 

[Heather Koch]

By the way, my lovely wife is from Monroe, MI

Thats like 45 minutes from where I live

Oh, and thanks for the heads up

 

[snowbear]

Cool. We still have relatives there - our niece works at the hospital.

 

[Heather Koch]

Oh that is neat!

Also I was thinking of taking my 12-24mm out there? Or should I stick with the infamous 18-200mm?

 

[snowbear]

12-24 might be too wide -- wide angles are not usually complimentary to when taking portraits. Can you borroa something between 50 and 85? the wode zoom might be useful for some environmental shots.

 

[Heather Koch]

I had a 50mm and a 35mm before and didn't like them... Probably a sin in the photography world

 

[snowbear]

Take both lenses, if possible, and see how it works.

 

[Heather Koch]

Take both lenses, if possible, and see how it works.

I think I will, decisions, decisions.

Thanks again for the advice