Catchlights and outdoors...please help

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I have been experimenting and am in need of some help. I try my hardest to search and find the answers but this time I have to post a question.

I have no lighting equipment and am wondering how you get catchlights when you photograph outside in the shade. Last time I used my reflector and and it helped but this time I couldn't "catch" the light.

Do I need an off camera flash and if so, how do I set that up? Is there any way to use the camera flash for this??
 
the built in flash is usually no good. you might be able to get away with dialing the power down but im not too sure. off camera flash usually is the easiest way to do it. a reflector placed strategically could do it too. try moving to the edge of the shade so you can grab some of the sun
 
If all you are looking for it catch lights, then the on-camera flash should work just fine.
If you need fill light, then the on-camera flash can work well too.

The main reason to get the flash off-camera, is that we want our main/key light to be off axis, so that we can see light and shadow on the subject/model. But fill light isn't supposed to cause shadows, so it can be on axis.

Even if you flash isn't powerful enough for fill light, it should still be able to put a small catchlight in your subject's eyes.

But I would still say that a big reflector is a better way to get nice catchlights.
 
...wondering how you get catchlights when you photograph outside in the shade.

Well... moving your subject into the shade is a good start with outdoor portaits, but if all the light you have is shade, then all you have is fill lighting. Move your subject to the edge of the shade and use the open sky as your main light. Then you'll see the catch lights.

I hope this helps.

-Pete
 
everyone has already given good tips... but yea you can use the on camera flash for catchlights... just dial it way down and you'll get the catchlight without actually affecting the lighting
 
What do you mean by dialing it down? I do see that I have about 5 different settings for the flash, would dialing it down be picking the right one out of the choices??
Also, I have another question....When taking a photo of a family of 7, would the reflector work for catchlights or would it not be a big enough reflection? I have a 42" round reflector.
One more thing...When I take the photo of a family of 7, what is a good f/stop so that all the faces are in focus but the background is not??
I took this photo but wish the background was more out of focus and that there was some catchlights. Other than that, what do you think of the photo? I have not done any editing yet.

DSC_0008.jpg
 
in my opinion, i could be wrong, catch lights are more for 1 or 2 people. an entire group, not so much. unless the picture is goinf to be printed so large you can see each persons eyes.

depending on what camera you use, you should have an option to change the power of the built in flash.

i think for the picture you posted, a flash or 2 and a reflector could have helped drastically. also, watch your background, its a bit busy and distracting. also, the fact that 4 of them are wearing some shade of green, 1 wearing brown and 2 wearing black or very dark green looks a bit odd.
 
Someone linked me to this site when I had questions about settings for group photos. It helped A LOT when deciding what lens to use and what f-stop, etc. Hope that helps!

Online Depth of Field Calculator
 
Ok, I have been working on this photo all day! Am I wasting my time??

I have changed the color of the shirts so they match better and blurred the background. I tried to brighten the eyes a bit and soften the skin. What do you think?
This is actually me and my family and I took it with a remote shutter. So I know it's not perfect but would like to hang it on my family portrait wall. Do you think it is good enough for that????

DSC_0008edit.jpg
 
Hmm...you seem to suffer from what I go through all the time when taking family pictures. Frankly, the composition is boring because everybody sits in the same line (I do this ALL the time). Perhaps break up into smaller groups, some kids in front your husband and you sitting and some kids in the back forming a triangle. For instance, your boys can kneel in the front, and your girls stand/kneel in the back. You can then use a long lens for tighter crop and the background will be blurred more.
 
I actually don't have a problem with the composition, though I agree that it's pretty "typical family portrait". That's not necessarily a bad thing! However, I think that the PP on this is a little bland and flat. This is what I would do with it if it was a picture I took....


4575724605_f188430db2_o.jpg


But that's just my take. I like a more dramatic PP look.
 
That was totally my plan but the grass was soaking wet! This is the only other pose I could think of since we could not sit on the grass. :x
 
That was totally my plan but the grass was soaking wet! This is the only other pose I could think of since we could not sit on the grass. :x

oh...haha. Well then, if you are happy with the shot, frame it :D
 
I do see that is looks drab. I played with it some more and came up with this. I think it will work until I can take another.

We took some more where we were walking towards the camera but they didn't turn out that well. Any secrets to those kind of shots?

DSC_0008edit-Copy.jpg
 

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