5 tips for outdoor portraits

Monday 8 April 2024, 21:42 by Elja Trum | 7,168 views | 14 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

The weather is getting better again, so it's great to leave the studio behind with your model and enjoy a shoot outdoors. This article offers 5 tips to help you come home with some great photos.

1. Think about your location

Of course, you can photograph anywhere outdoors, but it helps to think about a good location in advance. A nice patch of nature, a derelict shed or even an industrial area with some great graffiti, for example. There is plenty to find.

Elis - f/2.8, 1/250s, 100 ISO @ 70mm
I sometimes get on my bike to look for nice spots for shoots nearby. By bike, you can get to locations that are difficult to reach by car much more easily, and these are often the better spots.

2. Look for a shady spot

A sunny day is beautiful, but as a photographer you're usually better off with some cloud. Sunlight is harsh and creates strong contrasts. That can work in a portrait photo, but soft light makes it much easier to take great photos.

Bieke - f/2.8, 1/200s, 200 ISO @ 150mm
No cloud? Then it's smart to look for a shady spot. The light in the shade is often at its best right on the edge of the shade. The light has a lovely direction there, which creates attractive shadows on your model and adds depth to your photo.

It's not a problem if there is sunlight visible in your background. Just bear in mind that this light will be brighter than your model in the shade. Bright light attracts attention. If you place it right behind your model, more attention will therefore go to the model as well.

3. Use the surroundings

Of course, you don't do an outdoor shoot just for the light. The surroundings usually matter too. So look at how you can use them in your photo. For example, by not just placing your model in front of the surroundings, but really placing them in them.

Cariad - f/3.5, 1/160s, 800 ISO @ 85mm
So let them sit somewhere, lean against something or do some suitable activity.

4. Use flashes to improve the light

When you photograph outdoors, there is usually enough light. But that light isn't always equally beautiful. Waiting for the right conditions is generally not practical. Fortunately, you can adjust the light yourself too. Outdoors as well.

A first step is to use reflectors or translucent screens. With a reflector, you brighten part of your image by reflecting sunlight. With a translucent screen, you can perfectly block the harsh sunlight and turn it into beautiful soft light.

Yana-Meau - f/4.5, 1/250s, 100 ISO @ 61mm
For even more control, you can use flashes and matching light modifiers, such as a softbox. Put an orange colour filter (CTO) on your flash and you can turn your flash light into a setting sun. Even in the middle of the day.

5. Tell a little story

In my view, a photo becomes stronger when you tell a little story with it. A photo then becomes more interesting to look at. The surroundings at an outdoor location are usually perfect for telling such a story.

Amanda - f/2.8, 1/1000s, 125 ISO @ 45mm
A story doesn't have to be elaborate or very profound. Simply by not having your model look straight into the camera, a photo becomes more narrative. If you have them do 'something' in the photo, that works well too.

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About the author

Elja Trum is the founder of Photofacts and online photography course website Photofacts Academy. He has been writing about photography since 2006. Elja is also the author of (Dutch) books on composition, black-and-white photography, flash photography and portrait photography.

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14 comments

Haegeman wrote on Tuesday 9 April 2024 at 11:29 | reply
5 very interesting tips, I learned something from them again.
Translated from Dutch.

jose wrote on Tuesday 9 April 2024 at 12:04 | reply
What sensual photos! The women are once again an object.
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Elja Trum wrote on Tuesday 9 April 2024 at 12:09 | reply
They are just example photos, so mainly use the tips for your own photos.

Personally, I like this kind of sensual photography. This is what I enjoy photographing. I understand that this isn't everyone's preference. That's fine.
Translated from Dutch.

Rob Kloosterman wrote on Tuesday 9 April 2024 at 15:17 | reply
The tips are okay but the sensual pictures are getting tiresome by now. New stories are needed. Also in examples.
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Elja Trum wrote on Tuesday 9 April 2024 at 15:49 | reply
These are my photos. Whatever I photograph, there’s always someone who has something to bitch about, so you might as well learn to live with it.

Other bloggers are more than welcome to come and write here too. That way you can use your tips and your photos. Do sign up.
Translated from Dutch.

J. J. den Hollander wrote on Tuesday 9 April 2024 at 16:21 | reply
What is the value of giving an opinion. Everyone has their own taste. I found the tips very valuable. The photos illustrated the tips particularly excellently
the tips. Very good and tasteful! How so sensual? Is that a dirty word perhaps?
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Elja Trum wrote on Wednesday 10 April 2024 at 09:00 | reply
Thank you!
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Ton wrote on Tuesday 9 April 2024 at 17:05 | reply
The author has a portfolio that is by now inexhaustible, so I completely understand that you take a grab at the cash register. By the way, on photo sites you often see that whining and there is, for example, also a flock of sheep that start bleating along if someone points out that there is still a little label, for example, visible on a bra. By the way, I think that last photo is brilliant, the atmosphere is also very pleasant. I haven't been able to shoot one like that yet, or a lady who wants to swim around in a pond. It remains a challenge and that's what it's all about, especially when you have overly harsh sunlight, awful. Lugging screens and softboxes around in nature isn't doable for me, so cloudy is always fine!
Translated from Dutch.

Elja Trum wrote on Wednesday 10 April 2024 at 09:08 | reply
Thanks, Ton.
As for lugging things around, I use speedlights and foldable softboxes and small Manfrotto Nano tripods.

Everything goes in my camera bag and two compact extra bags. I can carry the three bags on my back/over my shoulders like that.

Putting together a compact kit ensures that you take it with you and use it.
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Henk wrote on Tuesday 9 April 2024 at 17:18 | reply
Great tips, great models and great photos !
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Peter wrote on Tuesday 9 April 2024 at 19:54 | reply
Good idea for new stories. Read and use the tips that are given and let yourself go further! By the way, I find these example photos particularly beautiful.
In terms of composition, colour and atmosphere. Compliments.
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Elja Trum wrote on Wednesday 10 April 2024 at 09:09 | reply
Thank you Peter (and Henk too).
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guest wrote on Friday 12 April 2024 at 11:55 | reply
I find the 5 tips very useful. And the sensual photos are beautiful. Just spicy enough, the imagination does the rest. The photos aren't overly sensual, very pleasant to look at. My compliments, Elja.

Translated from Dutch.

Wim wrote on Sunday 14 April 2024 at 19:57 | reply
Too bad that you nevertheless allowed yourself to be tempted into this wording. This detracts from your normally excellent professional attitude.
Obviously, this also applies to those who can't resist commenting without good substantiation.
I find the photos very beautiful, but that is a matter of taste.
Translated from Dutch.

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Elja Trum

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