Top 10 Tips For Summer - Summer Portraits

6. Take Better Summer Portraits

When there’s bright sunlight you can be forgiven for leaving your flashgun at home, but more often than not this is one of the best times to use it. Direct summer sun is harsh and unflattering, and creates unflattering shadows across people’s faces. By using a flash they can be reduced or removed, filling the deficient area with light. Fill-in flash can also be used if your subject is backlit and you want to illuminate the face.

Almost all digital cameras have a built-in flash, and the ability to override the auto flash mode by switching it on even when there’s enough light to shoot without it. With DSLRs you can use a separate flashgun for more power and the ability to bounce it for a more diffused illumination. Another way to get a more subtle effect is to reduce the flash output by one or two stops using flash exposure compensation, if you have it on your camera. When using flash, make sure your shutter speed stays at or below the maximum flash sync speed of the camera (typically around 1/250) – this is only likely to be an issue with non-dedicated external flashguns or when shooting in manual exposure mode.

An alternative to flash is to use reflectors, placed on a stand or held by an assistant, to lighten areas of shadow by bouncing light back on to the person’s face. They come in various shapes, sizes and colours, and most can be folded up. Visit www.lastolite.com for the biggest selection. You can of course avoid the harshness of the sun altogether by shooting in the shade, such as under a tree or the shadows of a building.