portrait help!

[Abby Rose]

My sister wants me to take some portraits of her.... I really have almost no idea how to go about this. I have my point and shoot, a Sony H50. I have a lens hood. We are doing the pictures outside, either in the shade or on a cloudy day. And thats all I know. How can I make these good enough that she wont be disappointed in me? She wants to print them and everything... I've told her I dont know what to do, but she wants me to just try. Ok.

 

[LuckySe7en]

tell her you have a point and shoot, you'll do your best pp as possible but try not to expect pro results.

 

[tirediron]

So, just try! Spend a little time Googling "natural light portraits" and "outdoor portraits". There's LOTS of information out there. Choose a nice, quiet area with a good background, that is one that is nice and even (such as say, a dark gree hedge), make sure you don't situate her too close to it though (otherwise it will be in focus and distracting), used wider apertures and longer focal lengths to ensure as best you can, that the subject is in focus but the background isn't. Review your images for blown highlights and deep shadows, adjust and shoot again.

Good luck!