High Noon Shoot...

chasgroh

Hi guys! I'm venturing forth into the unknown of actually doing a...well..."fashion" shoot...only it's outdoors on a high school campus at right about noon...ugh. I tried to get them to schedule for (much) later in the day, but that wouldn't work for all concerned. So, I don't have any of the screens one might expect one to have to soften the light, although I have plenty of time to acquire what I need. The subject is a kid wearing a band uniform, and the location is pretty "old" Los Angeles, so there is apt to be nice structural backdrops and foliage. Thoughts?

Charlie Groh

pathfinder

Use fill flash and shoot in the shade of a building? Or a reflector if you do not have a flash - a sheet of white foam board or a white sheet.

If you must shoot out in the sunlight, build a light tent, or a large white nylon scrim to soften the light.

If you shoot in the bright sunlight at noon, you will have dark shadows under the eyes and chins, etc.

Nikolai

In addition to what Jim said consider changing time to early morning or late sunset. This way you may use the sun as you fill. Otherwise, if you're really keen on doing ti "high noon", the only two options you have are to block it, or use it as a rim/hair light and use reflector/fill flash to fill the shadows.

Here's a couple of examples from my last "high noon fashion shoot" (taken in Mojave, no less)

Sun as the key, flash as the fill:



Sun as a hair, flash as a main:



HTH

pathfinder

If you have models as good as Niks, you can shoot anytime day or night!!

Nikolai

pathfinder wrote:

If you have models as good as Niks, you can shoot anytime day or night!!

Especially at night:

chasgroh

Nikolai wrote:

Especially at night:

...dewd! And *I* get to deal with a band kid in a funky uniform...hehehe...I hear you 'bout the time of day, but I'm locked-in to the noon thing...thanks for the advice...anything hand-held, other than the reflector, to help with diffusion?

cg

Nikolai

chasgroh wrote:

...dewd! And *I* get to deal with a band kid in a funky uniform...hehehe...I hear you 'bout the time of day, but I'm locked-in to the noon thing...thanks for the advice...anything hand-held, other than the reflector, to help with diffusion?

cg

I've been shooting band kids for quite a while, my both daughters were (and ons till is) in the band... If you plan on him to move, you won't be able to use a reflector since it would require another person to hold it (unless you're concentrate on a headshot and a kid can hold it himself). Watch for the deep shadhow from the "shapeau".
On a static pose reflector can help, but assistant is still a must. Flash is way more reliable than a reflector, but it can be a bit tricky if you don't know how to meter it properly (and even metering during the high noon requires some practice).
One way to get a great light at high noon with no reflector or flash if to get him at the corner of a light-walled building with the sun being behind him and a refelcted light from the wall playing fill.

chasgroh

Nikolai wrote:

I've been shooting band kids for quite a while, my both daughters were (and ons till is) in the band... If you plan on him to move, you won't be able to use a reflector since it would require another person to hold it (unless you're concentrate on a headshot and a kid can hold it himself). Watch for the deep shadhow from the "shapeau".
On a static pose reflector can help, but assistant is still a must. Flash is way more reliable than a reflector, but it can be a bit tricky if you don't know how to meter it properly (and even metering during the high noon requires some practice).
One way to get a great light at high noon with no reflector or flash if to get him at the corner of a light-walled building with the sun being behind him and a refelcted light from the wall playing fill.

...no movement (although I do alot of that when they're under the lights at various venues in the area... www.marchingpix.com ...this is strictly for the uniform for the vendor...I have some time so will stage a mock-up and see if I can get some technique going beforehand!

cg