photographing blonde models in sun

[scott_currie1]

Hello, I would like to ask for tips and info to help me out with

photographing models with blonde hair when out in direct sunlight. I

tend to have over exposure on the hair and face due to the sun(I

think).

My next attempt I plan on using Kodak Portra400nc with 3 different

lenses. My setup will be a Canon elan7 with 70-200f2.8, 100f2.8 and

50f1.8

My normal work in photography is sports so I am asking for help as

to which mode and exposure setting to work with.

I feel av mode is the correct mode but would like to know if under

exposing by a half or full stop will help out on the over exposed

blonde hair?

 

Any tips will be a huge help.

 

Thank you very much.

 

Scott

[robd]

Manually meter off of their skin (neck or face) and open up 1 stop.

[hal_bissinger]

My choice for film would be 160NC under these conditions. The problem with direct sunlight is that there are always extremes of contrast. Though Portra should handle them well, try to shoot where contrast will be minimized, especially between the hair and face and expose for the hair and face. Even in sunlight I always like to use fill flash. I really don't see the need to manually adjust the exposure if the matrix metering is working right but you can give it a try. <p>

Another contributor to your problem could be your printing. On the subject of printing, ALWAYS have Portra processed and printed by a pro lab that knows how to print Portra preferably on Portra paper. If you don't you are going to be disapointed.

[picturesque]

If you've used AV mode (or any camera controlled mode) before with this situation and gotten overexposed blonde hair, then underexposing from what the camera chooses would seem to be the way to go EXCEPT...like the previous poster says, direct sun causes extremes of contrast and if you underexpose, your shadows will become even more dense, with little or no detail. There is only one way to get good detail in blonde hair and good detail in the shadows at the same time--expose for the blonde hair and get more light into the shadows so that your highlight to shadow ratio is not so big. You can use flash fill or a reflector, although strong reflection, which is needed here, causes people to squint. If these are portraits, that would be bad. I would use manual mode, a handheld meter, and a flash (probably on manual) or reflector. Start out with the direct sun exposure--use the "sunny 16" rule--f16 at 1/500th for Portra 400NC. If you photographed a blonde in direct sunlight, his/her sunlit hair would have lots of detail using this setting, but his/her face may be lost in shadow unless you added enough flash or fill light to bring the shadow exposure to within 1 stop or so of the direct sun exposure. I usually opt to overexpose the hair by 1/2 or 1 stop, arrange for the face/body to be mostly in shade (backs to the sun), and arrange for flash fill or reflector to add enough light so that the shadow exposure is within 1 stop of the f-stop/shutter speed combo I use. Or, arrange the models so that most of the hair and the face/body is shaded (backs to the sun, head and body are only rimmed by sunlight) and expose for the shaded parts, letting the sunlit hair get "burned out". Only a small part of the hair is burned out, and some people like this "halo" effect. Take a look at fashion photos shot outdoors with direct sun. Most of the models (blond or not) are photographed this way, even if fill light is added. If you use fill flash with your Elan, you'll be better off using Portra 160 since your camera only allows sync with flash at 1/125th or slower. This way you can avoid having to shoot at f32.

[martin_pistor]

Listen to Rob, take a manual meter, but don`t meter incident (reflected) but light-metering mode.

[edward_kang]

Control. You MUST maintain control!

 

In my experience, you need light modifiers to do what you're doing. A large piece of foamcore sheet in front of and below the model's face, a sheet diffuser between her head and the sun.

 

You can try to change films and overexpose or underexpose or whatever you want, but unless you control the light you are doomed.

 

Once you control the light, all you have to do is use your reflective meter on the model's face and bracket your shots.

 

Control!!