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Here’s when, why and how to use flash for outdoor portraits in bright daylight

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Have you been wondering why anybody would use flash outdoors during the daytime? After all, it’s daytime. It’s pretty bright already, isn’t it? So, you’re not ramping your ISO up high, so why would anybody use flash outside? Well, yes, it’s bright-ish, but the natural light isn’t always giving you what you want. Sometimes it needs a little help.

In this video from Andrew Boey at Beyond Photography, we learn how, when and why you might want to use flash outdoors in the daytime – even on a bright sunny day.

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How to use scrims and strobes outdoors in bright sunlight for amazing portraits

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So before my regulars start to suspect that I’ve been kidnapped and forced to write this against my will, yes this is indeed a lighting setup article that involves natural light! But don’t worry, we’ll quickly skip over the easy, beginner daylight setup and move on to the adult version that combines gels and strobes later on. So, if you’re suspiciously U.V. averse to the point where you could star in an Anne Rice novel, don’t worry, stick around to the end and I’ll have something a little more visually engaging for you there.

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Six tips for shooting great portraits in natural light

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The phrase “natural light” is usually seen as a dirty word amongst flash photographers, but the light that already exists on a scene can often be just as pleasing as anything you can make with flash – if not more so. I’ve found that it helps to know how to work with both because flash isn’t always available when you want to shoot a photo.

In this video, photographer Emily Teague serves up six tips for shooting portraits outdoors in natural light on the streets of Brooklyn. Like many portrait photographers, Emily started out using just natural light for a few years before picking up a flash for the first time. So, she goes back to her photographic lighting roots for this one.

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How to add flash to your shot to create portraits at night

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The night time can produce some wonderful colours, especially when shooting against a city skyline, or even within the city at ground level. The colours from the sky and clouds along with lights on buildings, in windows, signs and displays can make for some very compelling and colourful imagery. But what if you want to shoot portraits against that background?

In this video, photographer David Bergman talks about how we can add flash to our night time shots and mix them in with the ambient exposure to produce some great night portraits.

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Here’s a detailed guide to prepare you for your actor headshots

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Your actor headshots, combined with your actor showreel, are the foundations of your actor profile. They are without shadow of a doubt a key marketing tool for your acting career. It’s important to prepare yourself in order to get the most out of your session.

If you are reading this it is because you have booked or you are thinking on booking a headshots session. In this article I’ll try to answer most of the common questions that we usually receive on how to prepare for your actor headshots session.

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Quick tips for choosing the perfect background for outdoor portraits

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When shooting portraits, the background is one of the things you need to be mindful about. And if you shoot outdoors, you don’t have so much control over it as you do in the studio. In this video, photographer David Bergman will give you a few quick tips for choosing the perfect background and improve your outdoor portraits in an instant.

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Fill flash explained – take stunning outdoor portrait photography with a flash

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Taking portraits in bright sunlight has been a bit of a no-no for a long time but the truth is that you can actually get stunning results if you use a fill flash. The results look awesome and give a high-end feel to any outdoor portrait and the best thing is that it’s really not too difficult. You just need to understand how to use a fill flash.

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Quick tips for photographing in harsh sunlight without flash or reflectors

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The golden hour is probably the time when most of us would choose to take photos. But, there will be times when you’ll be forced to shoot in a harsh midday sun, for one reason or the other. You can bring reflectors, strobes, or try to find or make a shade. But in this video, Manny Ortiz will give you some quick tips on how to embrace the direct sunlight and turn it into your advantage without any gear but your camera and lens.

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Atmosphere and Light – How To Improve Your Outdoor Photography

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This past summer I was camping with my family and one of the lakes we visited had a perfect jumping rock.

I knew this would be a great photo opportunity, so I brought my camera to snap a few photos of us jumping off of the rock and into the lake.

What I ended up capturing was a perfect lesson on why you need to look for atmosphere and light to improve your outdoor photography.

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5 tips for shooting portraits in harsh midday sun

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The midday sun isn’t really photographers’ favorite time to shoot portraits. But, sometimes you’ll be forced to do it, for one reason or another. Photographer Kayleigh June says a lot of her portrait shoots take place at this time of day. So, she shares five helpful tips to make the best out of the unfriendly midday sun.

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