Fashion Lighting Outdoors

[splitfyre]

Anyone have any suggestions for doing fashion lighting outdoors? I am going to be doing it out in a park, and was thinking of going with a minimal lighting kit due to portability. Suggestions? I will be shooting with two models and thought I'd see what the lighting gurus would recommend as I'm always trying to challenge myself to be the best with my lighting technique.

Thanks!

[Zebceponaf]

get in the shade and/or use a reflector. maybe use your flashes for back/rim lighting.

btw, not to thread jack but how's your 50 1.4 compared to your 85 1.8? Thinking of getting the 50

[splitfyre]

I prefer the 85 over the 50.. especially outdoors. As for lighting I'm thinking of just using my flashes for back and rim lighting. I have reflectors as well. Thanks :-)

[GrendelZ]

Outside I say diffuser/reflectors is the way to go. Otherwise get some vagabonds.

[jackies35]

What about if she is planning on shooting at night? Would lighting equipment is light and portable?? I live in NYC and I believe I would probably need a permit (NYC Parks Dept)...

[mccalm]

What if you want 3 or 4 portable lights to go on location and really do the full setup? How do you guys feel about mono lights vs head and packs for outdoor shoots with models? Any brand or package/kit to reccomend?

[sspellman]

As Grendel mentioned, the Alien Bee Vagabond II is a relatively inexpensive($300) and flexible battery 110V power source for outdoor fashion lighting that can be used with many brands of lighting. Almost every other major brand also offers a custom battery pack solution but for much more.

For McCalm, Alien Bees are popular for less expensive systems, while Profotos with a battery generator are an industry standard at the higher end. I like the complete flexibility of monolights in every situation.

-Scott

[borism]

I don't know much and don't have much experience but you might enjoy looking the web site that has plenty of video behind the scenes, granted promoting their products, but very interesting and educative never the less
I hope you find them entertaining

http://www.sunbounce.com/cms/index.php?id=300

[TeeTee]

Speedlights, silver umbrellas, and reflectors. Make sure you balance ambient and flash, with ambient being the fill so you still have control over the shadows (an essential element to fashion photography).

You can really do a lot with very little, and especially being winter it should be fairly overcast.

[MD Steelerfan]

I like shoot through umbrellas for fill from the front of the models and definitely rimlight the hair unless the sun is lighting it well already.

Use speedlights for portability. They have more than enough light to be used as fill lights outdoors. You are not trying to overpower the sun usually, so no need for big heavy lights. I did a shoot with a girl a few weeks ago on an overcast (drizzly) day and here are the images - http://www.brian-landis.com/shelby.html

I just used 2 lights for most of the shots, One shoot through umbrella and one speedlight for a hair light. Cybersyncs for firing. Since it was misting and drizzeling I wanted to move quickly and not ruin expensie stuff. This setup seemed to work.