I've always been a landscape photography guy.
There's just something about being outdoors and photographing nature's beauty that gets me fired up.
But over the years, I've gotten a little complacent and haven't branched out as much into other genres as I'd like.
That's changing, though, because I've challenged myself to learn how to take better portraits this year.
If you're ready to take more portraits like me, here's a quick tip from Jessica Kobeissi to help you get started:
Since I'm easing my way into portraiture by shooting with natural light, the video above has proven extremely helpful to me to get the most out of the lighting I encounter.
As Jessica notes, when you're outdoors, especially during the middle of the day, it's essential that you find shade.
If you don't, the harsh sun will wash out your model's skin, cause them to squint, and cast harsh shadows as well.
In other words, that kind of light doesn't make for great portraits.
Editor's Tip: Finish your portrait off with a stunning canvas print.
However, just because you're shooting in the shade doesn't automatically mean that you can shoot whichever way you like.
That means that you and your model need to work together to find the best spot in the shade to get the best portrait photography results.
Now, this might sound difficult, but as you see in Jessica's video, it really just boils down to some experimentation and practice.
The key is to try shooting your portraits in a variety of spots because one area of shade might be quite dark while another might be relatively light.
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Case Study: How to Take Better Portraits in the Shade
Likewise, it's important to consider the directionality of the light in the shady area.
Even though light is highly diffuse in shady areas, there is still a dimension of directionality that can influence how the light interacts with the model's face.
If you look at the screenshot above, you can see that when the model is turned toward a darker shaded area, her face is also darker.
But by turning 90-degrees and facing a little more towards the bright sky, you can see how much brighter the light is on the left side of the model's face.
You can actually see the difference in how the light interacts with the model's face by having them continue to rotate around in the same spot.
Above, you can see how turning 90-degrees and staying in the same spot in the shade changes the look of the shot.
This positioning with the model facing towards the sky results in much better lighting for the portrait - it illuminates her face nice and evenly, with no harsh shadows. Now that's how to take a good portrait!
And again, turning 90-degrees gets you a totally different look.
Remember, these four images are of the same model in the exact same spot under the shade of the same trees.
Yet, each image looks different and has a different vibe. Crazy, right?
When it comes to how to take portrait photos, pay attention to the light, and you can create not just one awesome shot, but several!
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It's also worth noting how the background of the shot plays into the quality of the image.
The third image above isn't just the best of the bunch because of the quality of the light falling on the model's face. The background is also the most pleasing.
The dark green tones of the foliage contrast nicely with the skin tone of the model, and the fact that there is more variation of green, with some lighter tones to offset the darker ones, makes for a more dynamic background.
It's All About Patience
As I noted above, what I take away from this is that you can't simply expect the light to be great if you're in the shade.
Instead, to get the most out of your natural light portraits, spend a few minutes (a few seconds, even!) to move around, move your model around, and find the best light. It's that kind of patience that is required when learning how to take portraits.
Just that one factor can make an incredible difference in your portraits, and make the difference between getting "the shot" and getting a photo that ends up in the trash bin.
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