Outdoor portrait noob help

[Erikerodri]

Hi, I am planning on taking some outdoor portraits for a friend strictly for fun and I'd like some advice on what to take or use. All of my equipment info is in my signature. I plan on getting an umbrella and reflector at somepoint. What could you recommend me taking for this? We plan on going to a forrest reserve for photos about mid afternoon. The person that I will be photographing will be a female if that makes any difference to the equipment to bring. any advice and recommendations would be amazing.

 

[RLPhoto]

Get a giant 60" scrim and another pair of hands to hold it near the subject. Instant soft-box for cheap.

 

[Erikerodri]

Wouldnt a reflector do just the same? Also it will only be the subject and myself

 

[RLPhoto]

Wouldnt a reflector do just the same? Also it will only be the subject and myself

No, It won't. A reflector can still make hard light, but a scrim doesn't. It will make a beam of hard light into a giant source of light.

You can get a reflector holder on a stand to do it for you if you have no extra hands around.

 

[SteenerMe]

Bring your camera and lenses. Point it at your model and push that little shutter button. Boom outdoor portrait!

 

[rexbot]

If you don't have a scrim or an extra set of hands, get one of those giant shoot-through umbrellas and put in on a stand near your subject to filter any harsh light. Make sure you have a sandbag on the stand to help hold it.

http://www.amazon.com/Westcott-4632-Diffusion-Parabolic-Umbrella/dp/B004QEX0N0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1367528614&sr=8-2&keywords=westcott+7%27+parabolic+umbrella

A reflector would help too, of course, but you'll be surprised how smooth hard sunlight can look coming through a scrim or umbrella.

 

[Quasimodo]

Get a giant 60" scrim and another pair of hands to hold it near the subject. Instant soft-box for cheap.

Got a link for aa good one?

 

[Erikerodri]

Bring your camera and lenses. Point it at your model and push that little shutter button. Boom outdoor portrait!

Thanks thats the best advice I've heard all day ;D
But in all seriousness thanks for all the info everybody. It won't be for another two weeks or so but I'd like to know what I'm doing before going into it. So if I buy a scrim, do I buy a specific stand for that? Sorry I honestly didn't even know what that was till someone mentioned it here. Also would I put it directly in front of the model and shoot from the sides or what? Sorry I am such a noob with lighting. I read the basics on strobists 101 and have strobes but never have worked outside other than goofing around with my dog. Lol.
Would you guys suggest bringing a flash and using it on or off camera?

 

[ChilledXpress]

A decent large scrim is not cheap...

A plastic frosted shower curtain will do for a cheap alternative. The best advice I could give... do your photo shoot with your friend, go home, check it out... repeat 1000X. A willing model is crucial for learning. The internet has tons of self help info on portrait photography in natural light and cost cutting DIY fixes. You don't need to spend thousands but you do have to do the leg work to figure out what works. You have to want to get better, invest a little time both behind the camera and researching techniques...

I'm not too sure this forum is the best place to get the answers you need, you'll get a wide range of "opinions" from poor to great...

 

[RLPhoto]

This is the one I use.

 

[kyle77]

I'd consider getting an bounce/shoot through umbrella and a light stand. They're great for working outdoors (if wind isn't an issue...)

For this shot I bounced out of a photoflex 45" umbrella with a 580 ex ii (photoflex umbrellas are wonderful- fiberglass ribs instead of thin metal). I shot it wide with a 16-35mm 2.8 ii, and adjusted the flash and exposure to make the background darker to isolate the subject.

 

[Erikerodri]

I'd consider getting an bounce/shoot through umbrella and a light stand. They're great for working outdoors (if wind isn't an issue...)

For this shot I bounced out of a photoflex 45" umbrella with a 580 ex ii (photoflex umbrellas are wonderful- fiberglass ribs instead of thin metal). I shot it wide with a 16-35mm 2.8 ii, and adjusted the flash and exposure to make the background darker to isolate the subject.

very nice. thanks for the picture and info. It helps when I can see how they'd turn out and I know how they were set up. Do you recall off hand approximately what angle you set up the flash and umbrella for this look?

 

[distant.star]

.
Similar to the one I just got from B&H a few weeks ago. They had it on sale for $30. Couldn't pass it up. Looking forward to taking it to the local farmers' market where the light and shadow can make for harsh contrasts.

This is the one I use.

 

[kyle77]

I'd consider getting an bounce/shoot through umbrella and a light stand. They're great for working outdoors (if wind isn't an issue...)

For this shot I bounced out of a photoflex 45" umbrella with a 580 ex ii (photoflex umbrellas are wonderful- fiberglass ribs instead of thin metal). I shot it wide with a 16-35mm 2.8 ii, and adjusted the flash and exposure to make the background darker to isolate the subject.

Second shooter actually happened to get this pic showing the umbrella and stand. It was back just far enough to be outside the frame and sitting just to my left. I raised the umbrella a little taller than her and then pointed it down at her.

 

[Erikerodri]

This is the one I use.

what kind of stand can you use for this? do they sell stands specifically for those?

 

[Quasimodo]

This is the one I use.

Thank you.

I have a similar round one (1m) but want to buy a larger with the shape you have, and another smaller (50cm) so the subject can hold it comfortably when bouncing light to face.

 

[Erikerodri]

Hi one last question regarding lenses. Ive been using my sigma 70-200os lens for the few portraits I've done. Would the canon 85 1.8 be a good investment for portrait work considering the 70-200 I've been using is pretty good? I'm curious on bokeh and such and the l is out of my price range

 

[Quasimodo]

Hi one last question regarding lenses. Ive been using my sigma 70-200os lens for the few portraits I've done. Would the canon 85 1.8 be a good investment for portrait work considering the 70-200 I've been using is pretty good? I'm curious on bokeh and such and the l is out of my price range

It is one of the great value for money lenses of Canon. Also the quickest AF of the 85's

 

[Erikerodri]

Hi one last question regarding lenses. Ive been using my sigma 70-200os lens for the few portraits I've done. Would the canon 85 1.8 be a good investment for portrait work considering the 70-200 I've been using is pretty good? I'm curious on bokeh and such and the l is out of my price range

It is one of the great value for money lenses of Canon. Also the quickest AF of the 85's

So it wouldn't be redundent even though I have a 70-200? My copy of the sigma is sharper and on par bokeh wise than my old 70-00 f4 canon to give you idea of my current lens

 

[Quasimodo]

Hi one last question regarding lenses. Ive been using my sigma 70-200os lens for the few portraits I've done. Would the canon 85 1.8 be a good investment for portrait work considering the 70-200 I've been using is pretty good? I'm curious on bokeh and such and the l is out of my price range

It is one of the great value for money lenses of Canon. Also the quickest AF of the 85's

To me it is not redundant with a 1.8 vs. 2.8. It gives you other possibilities. Also working with a prime forces you to move more to compose, which imho is a good thing. A friend of mine has the 1.8 (I have as you see the Sigma 1.4) and it feels great. It is very quick. It suffers from CA, but then again so does the Sigma, and the mighty 85L II, albeit not so much as the 1.8. This is easily fixed in Lightroom or other programs. I believe that money vs. value this is imo on of the two great offerings from Canon (the other is the 50 1.4).

So it wouldn't be redundent even though I have a 70-200? My copy of the sigma is sharper and on par bokeh wise than my old 70-00 f4 canon to give you idea of my current lens