Senior Combine Picture

I am taking a pictures of 9 senior boys. They just informed me that they want to take the picture in front of a John Deere Combine. There school colors are green & white. They want to take this photo at 3:30 in the afternoon. Do you think the sun is going to be a problem? Should I use a softbox to fill or Octo. box also? Or just a flash on bracket?
I always get a little nervous doing new things and I dont want to screw it up. Thanks.

Hmm sounds neat. There was another thread about a family that wanted their picture taken next to their very nice and large John Deer tractor. I don't know where the thread is at...

I'm interpreting your description as a 9-boy group shot with the combine in the shot.

At 3:30 in the afternoon.

Nightmare.

I think there's two possible ways to pull this off well.
1) Turn the combine so the ladder & walking platform (on the left side of the machine) are on the shaded side. Pose the boys on this ladder & platform and some standing on the ground underneath it. Fill the background with the combine since the sky beyond will be several stops brighter. Use a strobe & umbrella (and a tall lightstand) to just add a little to the ambient to provide some modeling. Combines have huge, flat, shiny surfaces so be careful of reflections from the strobe.

2) Get the boys under a shade tree, with the combine in the sunny background. Use a strobe and umbrella to bring the subject metering up to the background ambient. This could work well if the farmstead beyond the combine is well-kept.

Thanks! Great info!