One of the best things you can do in taking pictures of people outdoors is to throw the background out of focus. It needs to be so out of focus, in fact, that it's completely undefined. This is best done with a telephoto lens and a large lens aperture. Unless you are going for a very different look (such as using a wide angle for an exaggerated perspective), I would suggest using a 200mm telephoto or longer for pictures of people outside.
In addition, shoot them in the shade. Don't have any direct sunlight on them at all, and the background needs to be shaded as well. This means that their eyes will be open fully and you won't have any harsh contrast to deal with.
These two simple ideas will make a world of difference in your outdoor portraiture.
3 comments:
Thank you for such a simple and good advice!
I'll try not forget: Nor sun nor background for a nice face. Everything nice must shine itsef...
Agrades
Jim I totally agree with you on this one. If your shooting people outdoors, the last thing you want to see is a bunch of bushes behind them! Thanks for the info!
Crystal
Thanks for the great advise. I'm getting ready to shot some outdoor portraits of my daughter for practice. Your advise is always "spot on".
Thanks again!
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