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Tips For Taking Family Portraits Outdoors
- By Autumn Lockwood
- Published 01/28/2010
- Hobbies and Games
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Autumn Lockwood
Autumn Lockwood is writer for http://www.YourPictureFrames.com and loves taking pictures. Your Picture Frames offers a big selection of http://www.yourpictureframes.com/categories/Gold-Picture-Frames/ and http://www.yourpictureframes.com/categories/Silver-Picture-Frames/ and a lot more.
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Why take family portraits outdoors? Besides having a beautiful and fun background, photographing outside provides the chance to use natural lighting. If you are a professional photographer or serious enthusiast then you know that the external flash, studio lights and reflectors work to mimic the beauty of natural light.
If you are new to photography and have a digital compact and built in flash, then taking your family portraits outdoors is the best way to get professional quality portraits that you'll want to proudly frame in your home.
The Best Natural Lighting for Outdoor Family Portraits
Not all outdoors lighting is ideal. The worst time of day to take outdoor family portraits is mid day. The best times of day to take outdoor photographs is the hour before sunset and after dawn when the shadows are least harsh and the light is the softest. The closer to these times you can gather the family for their portrait, the better.
Another good option is to wait for an overcast day when there's a high overcast, also called bright overcast. This provides enough brightness but with the kind of softness the pros spend money on soft boxes to get. If the timing doesn't work out for any of the above, find shade that isn't too dark.
Settings for Outdoor Portraits
The obvious choice and perhaps the perfect choice is the family's backyard. Or you could take a cue from high school senior photography and take your outdoors family portrait at a place the family enjoys such as a park. If you go away from home, look for
times of the day that the location you choose is the least crowded.
You should also consider using a family hobby as a potential setting. If the entire family is into horses, a pretty pasture with horses nibbling on the grass with the family posed on and in front of a nice white fence could work quite well. If the family sails think about using the boat's deck as a setting.
Speaking of boats, a word of caution: if you decide to take any family portraits outdoors at places such as the sea, beach or snow, here are some things that can help: Select the beach mode on a digital compact, or if you use a DSLR or SLR, use a polarizing filter. This will help with the glare. Set the flash to "On" instead of "Automatic" to help reduce shadows on the family. Don't face the family towards the sun or they'll be squinting.
As with any photo, be sure to remove or hide clutter. Do you want to use the natural outdoor lighting but want a plain background? Take a piece of material and tack it to something like a fence. Check the lawn for sprinklers and behind the family for things that might be distracting, like a lamp post.
If you want to minimize the overall background, use the Portrait mode or set your Aperture Priority for a smaller depth of field.
On the other hand, you may want to pose the family so that yard features such as a beautiful tree or garden cottage are part of the picture. Just be sure to take the picture with the focus on the family.
Whether you are taking family portraits outdoors for others or your own family, use these portrait tips and you'll be sure to take a portrait that will be proudly framed on the family wall.
If you are new to photography and have a digital compact and built in flash, then taking your family portraits outdoors is the best way to get professional quality portraits that you'll want to proudly frame in your home.
The Best Natural Lighting for Outdoor Family Portraits
Not all outdoors lighting is ideal. The worst time of day to take outdoor family portraits is mid day. The best times of day to take outdoor photographs is the hour before sunset and after dawn when the shadows are least harsh and the light is the softest. The closer to these times you can gather the family for their portrait, the better.
Another good option is to wait for an overcast day when there's a high overcast, also called bright overcast. This provides enough brightness but with the kind of softness the pros spend money on soft boxes to get. If the timing doesn't work out for any of the above, find shade that isn't too dark.
Settings for Outdoor Portraits
The obvious choice and perhaps the perfect choice is the family's backyard. Or you could take a cue from high school senior photography and take your outdoors family portrait at a place the family enjoys such as a park. If you go away from home, look for
You should also consider using a family hobby as a potential setting. If the entire family is into horses, a pretty pasture with horses nibbling on the grass with the family posed on and in front of a nice white fence could work quite well. If the family sails think about using the boat's deck as a setting.
Speaking of boats, a word of caution: if you decide to take any family portraits outdoors at places such as the sea, beach or snow, here are some things that can help: Select the beach mode on a digital compact, or if you use a DSLR or SLR, use a polarizing filter. This will help with the glare. Set the flash to "On" instead of "Automatic" to help reduce shadows on the family. Don't face the family towards the sun or they'll be squinting.
As with any photo, be sure to remove or hide clutter. Do you want to use the natural outdoor lighting but want a plain background? Take a piece of material and tack it to something like a fence. Check the lawn for sprinklers and behind the family for things that might be distracting, like a lamp post.
If you want to minimize the overall background, use the Portrait mode or set your Aperture Priority for a smaller depth of field.
On the other hand, you may want to pose the family so that yard features such as a beautiful tree or garden cottage are part of the picture. Just be sure to take the picture with the focus on the family.
Whether you are taking family portraits outdoors for others or your own family, use these portrait tips and you'll be sure to take a portrait that will be proudly framed on the family wall.