Portrait and lighting question

[daystar]

I'm relatively new to photography but I seem to be gravitating towards a portrait-type style with some candidness mixed in (does that make sense? :)) and I really enjoy shooting them outdoors. My question is: Can you achieve good portraits using natural light/available light only - no flashes, reflectors, etc.? (obviously, I don't have these things, lol) If not, what might the minimum set-up be? Thanks!

[Zazoh]

Can you achieve good portraits using natural light/available light only - no flashes, reflectors, etc.? (obviously, I don't have these things, lol) If not, what might the minimum set-up be? Thanks!

Yes, and if candids, more the better. Because you can't always control the scene and the light, there are times you will want fill flash.

1. To add catchlights to the eyes.
2. To fill in the shadows when shooting back-lit subjects.

I used to say I I could do it all in natural light, even have IS on a lens that I can handhold with a very slow shutter speed, but, some of the better images I've done, have a spark of fill flash in them that doesn't overpower the natural ambient light.

[daystar]

Would the built-in flash on the camera suffice for fill flash?

[PhotosGuy]

Can you achieve good portraits using natural light/available light only Seems you can.
Angeline outdoors (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=483975)

[Zazoh]

Seems you can.
Angeline outdoors (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=483975)

How did you get such prominant catch lights in without any lighting source?

[tim]

A well lit shot will usually look better than an ambient light shot. People who ask "can you use ambient only" are generally scared of flash, because they haven't taken the time to learn about it.

Can you use ambient only? Yes, in the right circumstances. Can you make a great portrait in any circumstances using only available light? No. Can you with flash? Yes, if you know how to use it.

[tim]

How did you get such prominant catch lights in without any lighting source?

The sun is a light source.

[Zazoh]

The sun is a light source.

Ya, but go back and look at the eyes, that isn't the sun. Same shape in all of them, looks like a light box or something, perhaps a window. But curious about the technique.

[tim]

Only one of those has flash, it has to be the sun or a reflector. The one where there's no flash but the catchlights are low much be a reflector, or some weird positioning of the model I guess.

[bieber]

Ya, but go back and look at the eyes, that isn't the sun. Same shape in all of them, looks like a light box or something, perhaps a window. But curious about the technique.

On an overcast day, clouds are basically acting as giant softboxes in the sky. That's probably what you're seeing, catch-light-wise.

To the OP, yes, it is possible to make great portraits with all natural light, but you have to be able to find natural lighting conditions that will make a great portrait, and that can be really hard. I carry a bag of flashes so that, in the overwhelmingly likely circumstance that the natural light available just isn't sufficient, I can do whatever I need with it.

[PhotosGuy]

How did you get such prominant catch lights in without any lighting source? That wasn't my thread. but you have to be able to find natural lighting conditions that will make a great portrait, and that can be really hard.
Here's one with only natural light.
VERY simple "outdoor studio" (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=122297)
There's a step-by-step WB & exposure workflow in post #15.

[photoguy6405]

A well lit shot will usually look better than an ambient light shot. People who ask "can you use ambient only" are generally scared of flash, because they haven't taken the time to learn about it.

Raising hand, because I have to (grudgingly) admit... that's me.