Lighting the eyes in outdoor setting

Sydkid

I will be photographing a family this next weekend at high noon (easy for them, horrible for me). How can help keep the shadows away from their eye sockets? And from squinting? I'm new to people photography, so any help would be appreciated. TIA.

Nikolai

Sydkid wrote:

I will me photographing a family this next weekend at high noon (easy for them, horrible for me). How can help keep the shadows away from their eye sockets? And from squinting? I'm new to people photography, so any help would be appreciated. TIA.

1) get everybody in a solid shade (not the foliage, avoid the sun spots like a plague)

2) if no shade is available, put their *backs* to the sun. Watch for "nose triangles of light" - these are bad. If timing is super bad (sun is in zenith), put their side to sun. In any case, you have to use flash to compensate. Expose for the background and them match your flas to the faces are lit properly. If you don't have a light meter you'd have to take a few test shots and consult the histogram to get it right. Shoot full manual, including flash (AF is ok)

HTH

adbsgicom

Nikolai, what do you mean by a "Nose Triangle of Light"? Are you talking about when the nose casts a big shadow on the face, or something else?

Nikolai

adbsgicom wrote:

Nikolai, what do you mean by a "Nose Triangle of Light"? Are you talking about when the nose casts a big shadow on the face, or something else?

If you light a person almost directly from the top, his/hers nose (and possibly upper sides of the cheekbones) will be brightly lit, forming a "triangle of light". That is the reason a hairlight has to be positioned behind the subject, not on top of him/her/

adbsgicom

OIC.
Thanks!

pwp

If you have a reflector or even a large white sheet to place below them out of frame, it can be a quick help. Sounds like you're in for a bit of a challenge. I hate hate HATE shooting midday, but I know it's occasionally unavoidable.