Making good use of the sun for beautiful portraits
“After every storm the sun will smile; for every problem there is a solution, and the soul’s indefeasible duty is to be of good cheer.”
There's a little more direct sunlight coming over the west coast yet. Though it may be chilly, those skies have been exceptionally clear; the sun low in the sky, making good for prime outdoor shooting. I always had it in my head that you should snap with the sun behind you. It may have been some old-school photography rule they used to throw around when I was a kid, but it took me until my twenties to start breaking it. Of course with digital weapons you can actually check your exposure and adjust accordingly on the fly, without blowing a roll and ending up with a reel of silhouettes. Now I love getting the sun's rays in my photos. I like to aim so the sun is just out of frame, and even let the lens catch some glare. Either that or put the sun directly behind the subject—so that the subject becomes engulfed by a brilliant tenor of glorious light.
Here are some of the shots that I got this week whilst on a mother-daughter portrait session, all featuring our good friend, Mr. Sun, who happened to be hanging out just beyond the frame or hiding behind something.
Enjoy,
Mat Lo