Outdoor lighting...generally speaking

[scotteisenphotography]

Generally speaking, where do you want the sun when you're doing outside portraits? Behind the subject or infront...to the side? I haven't done this sort of work, and i'm about to dive into it headfirst on sunday....which is best? I'll have stuff for fill flash

[rocker83]

generally in the morning or in the late afternoon when the sun is low and is diffused is the best times....al la "golden hour" as they call it around here...
personally, I would backlit my subject,free hair light, and fill in any shadows with a nice big reflector and/or fill flash...dial down to like -2 or -3...

but again thats for my tastes...having the sun on infront of your subject may still create some annoying raccoon eye shadows and a reflector won't work as well if its primary light, the sun, is behind it....
Just be sure to keep a lens hood on or polarizing filter if you find fit...although I don't find the filter does much more for portraiture than keeping my glass from getting scratched...
but the lens hood should help any stray rays coming at you if you choose to backlight the subject
good luck!

[scotteisenphotography]

generally in the morning or in the late afternoon when the sun is low and is diffused is the best times....al la "golden hour" as they call it around here...
personally, I would backlit my subject,free hair light, and fill in any shadows with a nice big reflector and/or fill flash...dial down to like -2 or -3...

but again thats for my tastes...having the sun on infront of your subject may still create some annoying raccoon eye shadows and a reflector won't work as well if its primary light, the sun, is behind it....
Just be sure to keep a lens hood on or polarizing filter if you find fit...although I don't find the filter does much more for portraiture than keeping my glass from getting scratched...
but the lens hood should help any stray rays coming at you if you choose to backlight the subject
good luck!

Thanks..when you say dial down..do you mean with the FEC on the camera..or the thing on the flash?

[rocker83]

on the flash, makes for nice catch lights in the eyes alongside a reflector

[scotteisenphotography]

on the flash, makes for nice catch lights in the eyes alongside a reflector

Great, so should i do all manual setting on the camera then?

[rocker83]

manual, as in ? metering? shutter speed Fstop?

[scotteisenphotography]

shutter/fstop

[rocker83]

oh yeah, swear by the M(anual)
for portraiture, upper torso and face, F4 is a good place to start, but again adjust to your needs
and keep it above 1/125 to prevent any blur from camera shake or the subject moving...
and just have fun!