Lighting skills of outdoor portrait shooting

Photography is an art of expressing beauty with light and shadow. It can be said that photography is painting with light. Different from indoor portrait photography, in outdoor portrait photography, the intensity, nature and direction of light will change with the change of season, environment, weather and time. This requires photographers to accurately measure light, expose and fill light in the shooting process, and make full use of the characteristics of outdoor light to express the personality characteristics of the subject. Everybody follow me!

The choice and use of light in outdoor portrait shooting has a great influence on the performance of the subject in all aspects, so it requires higher skills for the photographer.

The lighting skills of outdoor portrait shooting are different from those of indoor shooting, mainly because the direction, intensity and nature of outdoor light will change due to different factors, which requires higher technical requirements for photographers. However, outdoor lighting also has internal rules to follow. Photographers can take high-quality portrait photos as long as they can fully grasp the characteristics of natural light, use natural light according to the requirements of different time, place and environment, and effectively use auxiliary light sources.

A, the type of outdoor lighting

(a) according to the direction of light.

According to the direction of outdoor light, it is mainly divided into three types: front light, side light and backlight. These three kinds of light have different light effects on the subject, and the light and shadow effects are completely different. In shooting, different shooting methods should be adopted according to different situations.

Shunt light is also called front light and flat light, that is, the light shines on the subject from the front, so that all the opposite surfaces of the subject are illuminated. High brightness, good color reproduction, which is beneficial to the photographer's metering and exposure. However, the existing images are relatively dull, and the three-dimensional sense of photos is very poor or even difficult to show. In general, sunlight is especially suitable for showing the smooth and delicate skin of children and women, because sunlight can make the skin look delicate and fair. At the same time, smooth lighting can also make a face that is too thin look fuller in the photo.

Side light means that outdoor light irradiates the subject from the side, so that all sides and front and rear parts of the subject receive light. From the lighting point of view, side light is usually divided into front side light and back side light. Side light can enhance the three-dimensional sense of the subject image, make the tone level and line outline of the photo very rich, and is conducive to depicting the expression characteristics and physical characteristics of the subject. However, when using side light to shoot portraits, if the light is too strong, it is easy to form a semi-bright and semi-dark effect on the face, or produce bright spots. When this happens, the light on the backlight side can be properly supplemented to reduce the contrast, or the angle can be adjusted according to the shape and expression of the subject, so that the light and shade effect and light spot can serve the artistic effect of portrait photos. When shooting with side light, if it is matched with a dark background, it is more conducive to showing the mature and stable image of men or the elderly.

Backlight is also called "backlight", that is, the light shines on the subject from behind or obliquely behind, which makes the outline of the subject very clear, highlights the contrast between the subject and the background, and has a sense of space. However, it should be noted that if the backlight is used as the main light source, the subject's face will be darkened by the backlight, and even in the case of bright background, the facial expression will not be clear. At this point, you can use a flash or reflector to fill the light. In order to highlight the facial expression and the overall outline of the subject, it is more appropriate to choose a dark background when taking portrait photos with backlight.

(2) according to the nature of light.

According to the nature of outdoor light, it is mainly divided into direct light and scattered light. These two kinds of light have their own advantages and disadvantages for portrait photography, but scattered light is the photographer's favorite light because it is easier to show the overall image of the subject.

Direct light is also called "hard light". Generally speaking, the sun shines directly on the subject on a sunny day outside, which is direct light, which can form a strong contrast between light and shade on the subject, and the portrait photos taken are also tough.

Scattered light is also called "soft light", that is, outdoor sunlight is scattered by clouds, or reflected by the ground and walls to the straight body of the subject. Due to the process of reflection and scattering, the direction of light at this time is not clear, the intermediate transition level is richer, and the formed image is soft. Scattered light is an ideal light for shooting outdoor portraits.

Second, the lighting skills of outdoor portrait shooting

When the photographer has mastered the characteristics of outdoor light, he can flexibly arrange shooting according to the lighting conditions of the shooting environment and the outstanding characteristics of the appearance and personality of the subject.

The author believes that the principle of outdoor portrait shooting is to use natural light as much as possible and use less auxiliary light sources. Different times of the day, different weather conditions, different clothes of the subject and natural light have completely different light effects on the subject. Photographers should constantly accumulate experience in practice and strive to let natural light serve photography as soon as possible.

If you shoot along the light, you should try to avoid too strong sunlight intensity, because it will cause dull images and affect the eyes and facial expressions of the subject. It is best to choose between sunrise and morning 10 and 3 pm and before sunset, because the sun's rays are soft and moderate in height during these two periods, which is helpful for photographers to show the natural state of portrait photos.

If shooting with side light, the front light should be careful not to let the sun shine directly on the subject's eyes, and the back light should be careful not to leave a very obvious shadow on the subject's face. The front light can make the subject turn his body or head, so that the sunlight does not directly hit his face, thus avoiding the phenomenon of squinting and nervous expression. However, if there are obvious facial shadows under the backlight, you can consider using a reflector to add luster to the subject's face.

If backlight is used, whether it is front backlight or side backlight, it is helpful to highlight the subject of the subject, and it is an ideal light to outline the outline of the character, reflect the beautiful form of the character and create a rich sense of depth. First, we should pay attention to the correct exposure, because the backlight photographer must increase the exposure compensation, and the amount of exposure compensation varies according to the background environment of the subject. Second, pay attention to the clothing color of the person being photographed. The exposure compensation of white clothes should be increased, and the exposure of black clothes should be reduced. Third, we should pay attention to avoid the background of big white light to shoot backlit portraits, such as over-bright sky and white walls. Fourth, attention should be paid to sunlight entering the lens, that is, glare entering the lens will blur the photos taken and change the color of the photos. However, if handled properly, the glare entering the lens can add artistic conception and beauty to the subject.