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Bright and sunny days offer good
opportunities for taking portraits outdoors. But they can cause
problems too. Bright sunlight can create harsh shadows. It can also
make people screw up their eyes and squint, which look most
unattractive. To get round this problem, try to move the person being
photographed into an area of shade. Alternatively, turn them away from
direct sunlight and use a reflector to throw light back into their
face. If the person is wearing a hat and the brim is casting a shadow
across their face, sue fill in flash to soften the shadow.
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Another problem with portraits outdoors
is that the wind blows people’s hair about and leaves it looking messy.
If possible, look for an area sheltered from the wind.
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Be on the lookout for appealing
backgrounds. This could be something with an interesting texture, such
as a stone wall, or it might be a view into a landscape. If the
background is not photogenic, consider ways of cutting it out. This can
be done by going in close and framing the picture tightly, or by using
a large aperture to throw the background out of focus.
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When photographing groups of people make
sure that one does not cast an ugly shadow on another.
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