Lighting Outdoors and On Location.
Lighting outdoors and on location is similar to lighting in the studio, insofar
as you will be trying to achieve the same objectives. What’s different is that
you will be working with available light (rather than studio light)—light you
find, rather than light that you create.
Because you generally cannot move available light sources (like the sun) as
you would a studio light, you will need to move your subject in relation to
the main light to create the effect you want. Then, add fill as desired (using
electronic flash or a reflector) to re-
fine the lighting pattern created by
the main light.
When working outdoors and on
location, you won’t always be able to
add the little refinements you would
inthestudio(likeincorporatingafew
precisely set hair lights and accent
lights). If you could, there would be
noreasontoworkinthestudioatall!
However, you should still keep your
eyes open for ways to use natural
light to create these effects. For ex-
ample, a beam of light streaming
down through an opening in the
overheadfoliagemightworkasanat-
ural hair light.
54 LIGHTING TECHNIQUES FOR PHOTOGRAPHING MODEL PORTFOLIOS
3-17. Learning how to position your
model in relation to the existing light is
the key to making great images in the
great outdoors.