FINALLY!

[jwbryson1]

Most of the time, I hate putting my subject in the shade. For example if I do a portrait in a big grassy area. If I put the subject in the shade, then the grass behind the subject will be over exposed and has temperature warmer than shade. When I fix the WB, then the grass turn into neon green. I rather put my subject in the sun. More vibrant color! What OP needs is a better placement of the sun (I prefer putting the sun almost behind the subject), better selection of the background, and better post processing. Putting the subject in the shade on a nice sunny day is just an easy way out IMO. Not sure why you would not take pictures in the sun when it is such a beautiful day.

Along the same lines as 480, get them out of the sun. Find a nice shaded area with a good backround and preferably, a large building to camera right to act as a reflector, or just bring your own.

It is very difficult, and very expensive to make shots in direct sunlight look good. The sun is a point light source, which means it is a very harsh, and very direct light. This leads to squinting, harsh shadows, and difficult lighting ratios.

Go out on an overcast day, put them in the shade(or right at the edge of the shade), or use reflectors and diffusers.

Just my .02

Not that difficult at all and no it is not expensive. Below is using a long lens, hood, NO FLASH, NO REFLECTOR. Like I said, better placement of the sun, better selection of background (darker background).

Schwetty!!! LOVE this image! Very very nice....

 

[DiskoJoe]

P.S.: The older of the two girls looks as if she is squintng from the sun. This is a bit awakward but I promise you she is not. She is such a cutie but when she smiles, her cute little face and eyes wrinkle up.

She is squinting. You have a picture of her with her eyes open all the way.

 

[Kerbouchard]

Most of the time, I hate putting my subject in the shade. For example if I do a portrait in a big grassy area. If I put the subject in the shade, then the grass behind the subject will be over exposed and has temperature warmer than shade. When I fix the WB, then the grass turn into neon green. I rather put my subject in the sun. More vibrant color! What OP needs is a better placement of the sun (I prefer putting the sun almost behind the subject), better selection of the background, and better post processing. Putting the subject in the shade on a nice sunny day is just an easy way out IMO. Not sure why you would not take pictures in the sun when it is such a beautiful day.

Along the same lines as 480, get them out of the sun. Find a nice shaded area with a good backround and preferably, a large building to camera right to act as a reflector, or just bring your own.

It is very difficult, and very expensive to make shots in direct sunlight look good. The sun is a point light source, which means it is a very harsh, and very direct light. This leads to squinting, harsh shadows, and difficult lighting ratios.

Go out on an overcast day, put them in the shade(or right at the edge of the shade), or use reflectors and diffusers.

Just my .02

Not that difficult at all and no it is not expensive. Below is using a long lens, hood, NO FLASH, NO REFLECTOR. Like I said, better placement of the sun, better selection of background (darker background).

No reflector? Are you kidding me? The entire ground is a reflector in this case. As far as sunlight, I have no problem using the sun as a kicker light or rim light, but to prevent your subject from being too dark, you either need a very large reflector or powerful flash. In this case, you had a very large reflector.

 

[cgipson1]

Most of the time, I hate putting my subject in the shade. For example if I do a portrait in a big grassy area. If I put the subject in the shade, then the grass behind the subject will be over exposed and has temperature warmer than shade. When I fix the WB, then the grass turn into neon green. I rather put my subject in the sun. More vibrant color! What OP needs is a better placement of the sun (I prefer putting the sun almost behind the subject), better selection of the background, and better post processing. Putting the subject in the shade on a nice sunny day is just an easy way out IMO. Not sure why you would not take pictures in the sun when it is such a beautiful day.

Along the same lines as 480, get them out of the sun. Find a nice shaded area with a good backround and preferably, a large building to camera right to act as a reflector, or just bring your own.

It is very difficult, and very expensive to make shots in direct sunlight look good. The sun is a point light source, which means it is a very harsh, and very direct light. This leads to squinting, harsh shadows, and difficult lighting ratios.

Go out on an overcast day, put them in the shade(or right at the edge of the shade), or use reflectors and diffusers.

Just my .02

Not that difficult at all and no it is not expensive. Below is using a long lens, hood, NO FLASH, NO REFLECTOR. Like I said, better placement of the sun, better selection of background (darker background).

No reflector? Are you kidding me? The entire ground is a reflector in this case. As far as sunlight, I have no problem using the sun as a kicker light or rim light, but to prevent your subject from being too dark, you either need a very large reflector or powerful flash. In this case, you had a very large reflector.

It was Robin's intelligent choice of subject placement that made the difference... something many people would not have done! Looks better than some other shots I have seen lately!

 

[Kerbouchard]

I don't disagree that it was good subject placement. Actually, it was perfect. The only reason I commented was because he said 'no reflector' in all caps. This shot beneifted from a lot of fill from the snow acting as a giant, neutral reflector. The part he emphasized was about how I had said it was difficult or expensive to take a shot in direct sun. He passed over my statement about point light sources, harsh shadows, etc.

In the shot he showed as an example, the subject is not being lit by the sun. They are being lit by the snow and the sun is acting as a rim light. A clever use of location and lighting to be sure, but not the same as the OP's pictures which were taken in direct sunlight.

Just pointing out that taking a shot in full sun isn't quite as simple as just putting the sun behind the subject. Not saying it can't be done, but without a perfect location, it requires reflectors(man made or natural), diffusers, or flash gear. And FWIW, the rest of my post actually sugested that the OP do just what Robin did. He just didn't read that part. Just sayin'.

 

[Robin Usagani]

If you have no problem to use the sun as rim light.. then why did you suggest the OP to pretty much put the subject in the shade? There are a lot of things you can do:

1. Use a reflector with sun as rim (not expensive)

2. Use an off camera flash with sun as rim(not expensive)

3. Take advantage of natural reflector in your surrounding (snow, white building, white car, etc.).

4. Use dappled sun as your rim light (no reflector)

5. Go crazy and use direct sun from the back and find a really dark background (no reflector)

6. Or.. wth.. just put them im the sun..

7. Or put them in the shade with the background in the sun and blown. I am not a fan of this.

8. Or be lucky and get overcast day.. you cant control the weather

9. Overcast with off camera flash

All I am saying is.. that would suck if all you do is shooting in the shade. Dont you want to differentiate your self? Cant always get overcast weather either.

 

[Kerbouchard]

I believe I mentioned all of those except #6 which I think has harsh shadows and unflattering lighting and I didn't particularly mention dappled lighting, but since it just about always turns out bad, I don't regret not adding it.

Either way, the OP has some advice and examples. We'll have to wait until her next round to see if she implements it. I think a lot of the same advice was given in her last thread.

FWIW, I think 3 and 9 of your last examples were really well done.

 

[tirediron]

NO REFLECTOR...

What do you call all the snow?

 

[Robin Usagani]

NO REFLECTOR...

What do you call all the snow?

Anything that is not black is a reflector friend. Did I bring a reflector? No .

 

[Robin Usagani]

Seriously though... OP wont learn that much just shooting in the shade. You pretty much set it to aperture priority and use metering anything but spot, you will get decent exposure. Anybody can do that. She will be a one trick pony.

 

[enzodm]

Schwetty: you are right in principle, but all the others are suggesting some more basic step, to start controlling light with not so many variables to take into account. One trick pony, but yet to learn to ride it.
Your pictures made me go outside, by the way. My only portrait experiments were inside with flash or window light, but perhaps is time to play with sun .

 

[vtf]

Yeah the fake blur is not great, get kids away from background and lower your aperature below 6.3, maybe 4. Watch your angles with dresses and low cut shirts.