Shooting lifestyle into direct sun

[connersz]

I am going to do some lifestyle shots at the weekend for someone and she has asked for a style of a certain photographer (and to be honest a lot of similar ones).

So I had a look at the photographers images and they are mostly shot in the morning or evening when the sun is low and the subjects have there back to the sun so you get that bright sunny outline around the hair and it kind of makes the surroundings look like light is just bursting out of them.

I have done similar things before but am no expert and was wondering what the safest method is to make sure I can do this and still get enough fill light onto the subjects faces.

I could use a flash or reflector but its kids so that probably won't work, I have also seen someone taking a metering of the shadows in Av to get a shutter speed before switching to manual.

What's the best way to achieve this? sorry I can't post the link to the site because I have forgotten it but I think you will understand what I mean, they are very popular in kids lifestyle stuff.

 

[Phil V]

You have many options which will give subtly different effects. Then options which give dramatically different effects.

Start by metering the shadows and just blowing the bg, then a reflector, then flash to balance, then flash as the key etc.

It's about understanding there's no such thing as 'correct' exposure, that we balance light to taste.

 

[connersz]

Ok thanks, I guess I should just do a bit with each and see what works.

It all depends on whether I actually get that sort of sun to be honest as it's a bit hit and miss out there at the moment.

Do you think that even with the light behind, that I should turn the subject slightly just to get a bit of sunlight around on the face and give it a bit of definition along with whatever other means I am using at the time?

 

[Phil V]

Ok thanks, I guess I should just do a bit with each and see what works.

It all depends on whether I actually get that sort of sun to be honest as it's a bit hit and miss out there at the moment.

Do you think that even with the light behind, that I should turn the subject slightly just to get a bit of sunlight around on the face and give it a bit of definition along with whatever other means I am using at the time?

Purely a matter of taste, the tricky bit with 'real' people is getting them to subtly change position, which can make a massive difference to lighting (and why portrait studios tend to use fairly flat uninteresting light).

I usually book outdoor portrait shoots for the last hour or so of daylight so that if we do get an interesting sky I can take advantage. If the sky is fairly uninteresting I can create 'something' with the OCF anyway.

 

[Pookeyhead]

Low evening sun is best for this.. as it's A) less intense, and B) low enough to allow it to be in shot, and still shoot at a flattering angle.

Do some research on "Contre jour" photography... which means "against daylight" literally.

One factor though that you may not have control over is lenses. How shooting into the light like this works out is largely down to your lenses. Some lenses just look awful when you do this, with hard, coloured flares everywhere. Some just mist over beautifully with a low contrast haze. My fave is the Nikkor 50mm 1.8D. The diaphragm has about a gazziollion bladed and the diffraction when you shoot into the light at around f11 is wonderful.

As for exposure... just do NOT meter for the sky/background... instead meter for the faces/shadows, and then stop down half a stop to one stop. Works for me. Phil's point about people moving around is a valid one... it makes a massive difference... If your SLR has a spot meter, set it to spot, Shutter priority (as you probably want t maintain a large aperture for shallow DOF.. but that's up to you and the shots you want) and set exposure compensation to -1... then meter off the faces. That's probably a good starting method until you get used to it.

Like most techniques... you'll need to practice. Ideal time of year for that.