Scoping out location for shoot tomorrow

[Braineack]

I'm meeting a couple tomorrow at 4pm to shoot at a local park. I went out yesterday at 4pm to see what the lighting situation would look like and potential shooting locations.

Sun is still pretty intense, these were all taken starting at 4:20 and the last being at 4:45.

You squint hard when you face the sun, so I was looking mostly for interesting backgrounds and shaded areas.

I'll be bringing two flashes, multiple modifiers, and a reflector.

Looks like I have a good deal of options:

open field just off parking lot:

interesting flower garden just to right:

cute shed fully shaded:

more open fields behind visitor center:

cool pergola with vines, but full sun - ideas here?

outdoor theater, fully shaded:

It's really harsh shadows in front of the visitor center:

Next location ---

This area is face on the sun, but I thought might make a good bg:

cabell's mill:

behind building:

another potential bg, yellow/pruple flowers in front

lastly, there's a pond.

this was the only place I thought might work out well:

I'd like to shoot on this walkway, but it's very harsh lighting.

what they were looking at:

All-in-all the lighting looks tough (Sunday's forecast calls for clear skies like this again), I'll probably set most shots up in shade, with the sun behind the subjects and fill with flashes and reflectors.


and just for fun:

 

[hamlet]

great place for photo shoots.

 

[Designer]

I'm meeting a couple tomorrow at 4pm to shoot at a local park. I went out yesterday at 4pm to see what the lighting situation would look like and potential shooting locations.:

The pergola would make a nice "frame" using one inside corner of the pergola and the couple standing inside, fairly close to it.

The railing near the pond would be o.k., but the light is uneven and shady, so flash them there.

The other structures do nothing for me, so I would not have any structures in the frame.

The open woodland OOF for a background would be nice.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I don't think either that wooden railing's too pretty, unless you could figure out a vantage point to see the pond and not much of the rail.

I like the visitors center, that stone to me would make a nice background. And I like the wishing well - what else is back there? looks like a walkway, I want to walk back there and see! looks like a possibility.

I like that amphitheater, but not so much from this vantage point; again I want to walk down there. What would be the background from below using the benches? I'm wondering if they faced to one side if the trees would work as background.

Have fun and hope you have nice weather.

 

[D-B-J]

Lots of good options. Do you have an assistant of sorts? You could always use the reflector as a shade and add fill for the pergola. OR put a flash up high and use that to shade them, then add fill. My "go-to" for shooting in situations like that is find a nice shady location, meter the background for proper or under exposure, then add fill. Good luck!

Jake

 

[Braineack]

I asked my wife to come help, but she wouldn't know what to do really. I have boom stand for the reflector at least and 4 umbrellas I can use (3 shoot through, 1 para).

that's pretty much the plan and why I was looking for nice open areas with shaded area to shoot the subjects within.

like this:

Testing the BG.

 

[Designer]

The last image you posted will be problematic for posing people because you have that dark branch (as the shot is now) and a myriad of tree branches in the BG to sprout from their heads.

The EXIF is pretty well reduced, so I can't see what aperture, but I think you could blur the BG even more with a different spot.

 

[Designer]

Oh, and your wife could learn how to hold a reflector with just a few simple pointers from you. Have her practice a bit using direct sunlight and some empty wall or fence where she can see the spot of light moving around. Just ask her to shine the light at their necks and it will be good.

 

[Derrel]

Maybe you can use the sun as a sort of sidelight, coming in from behind them from off to one side, and then use the reflector (if it's a big one!) from just outside camera view, to bounce the sunlight back onto their faces, so you get the look of real sunlight casting shadows, and then fill light that is of the same exact color temperature as the real ambient light.

 

[frommrstomommy]

Is there a reason you're shooting at 4pm and not a bit later? The location looks like you'd have plenty of gorgeous areas to shoot.. waiting another hour or so would be well worth it to me if that's an option.

 

[Braineack]

The last image you posted will be problematic for posing people because you have that dark branch (as the shot is now) and a myriad of tree branches in the BG to sprout from their heads.

The EXIF is pretty well reduced, so I can't see what aperture, but I think you could blur the BG even more with a different spot.

I just used the branch to focus on. Was shot at f/5.6 IIRC. I would place them just inside the shaded area and stand in much closer.

Maybe you can use the sun as a sort of sidelight, coming in from behind them from off to one side, and then use the reflector (if it's a big one!) from just outside camera view, to bounce the sunlight back onto their faces, so you get the look of real sunlight casting shadows, and then fill light that is of the same exact color temperature as the real ambient light.

I was hoping to use this technique more than relying on flashes, unless under full shade. I was trying to find shots that I could place them JUST inside an area of shade with a nice bright bg behind them, and use the reflector to fill in with sunlight. My reflector is quite large--i think the 42" size.

Is there a reason you're shooting at 4pm and not a bit later? The location looks like you'd have plenty of gorgeous areas to shoot.. waiting another hour or so would be well worth it to me if that's an option.

Busy couple with a 1yo, I'll try to drag it out

 

[Designer]

You'll do fine.

 

[Pejacre]

Good luck with the shoot. Looking forward to seeing the results!

 

[manny212]

Place looks like it has a ton of potential . A sun recedes should really open up . I'd be super careful of bright spots in backgrounds .

But i'm sure you've already factored this in . Good luck and I'm sure you'll be fine .

 

[Braineack]

Did okay. made mistakes; not entirely happy with the results. Will post them later.

I'll probably offer another shoot.