Photograhing an inter-racial couple outside

[teepee12]

I am very light and my husband is very dark, and we have never been successfully photographed outside a studio. Either I'm all washed out, or he's lost in shadow.

So I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to work it so that both of us (or any similar combination of people ... not just US obviously) show up? We have tried everything I can think of including him standing in the sun and me in the shade, or bright overcast days where there are very few shadows. In a studio, there are lots of ways to solve the problem, but outside? Nothing seems to work, though at least there is Photoshop now!

Thoughts? It probably sounds dumb but we've been married almost 21 years. We've got an anniversary in a few days and I thought it might be fun to get a nice picture of us.

[JFSanders]

NYIoP article on photographing people with dark skin outside.

Scroll down to the second response to the OP

These two articles should help you out. The main jist is to meter off of the lighter face and to cross light the darker person.

Jim

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by teepee12

In a studio, there are lots of ways to solve the problem,
.

I cushion this reply only because of our interaction in a different post... so in advance I'll state I'm not trying to be flippant or anything else...

What ever worked in the studio can work outside, just need to figure out how to apply the technique. Give me one of your techniques that works in the studio that didn't work outside.
Is it an equipment issue?

[teepee12]

Originally Posted by zona5101

I cushion this reply only because of our interaction in a different post... so in advance I'll state I'm not trying to be flippant or anything else...

What ever worked in the studio can work outside, just need to figure out how to apply the technique. Give me one of your techniques that works in the studio that didn't work outside.
Is it an equipment issue?

In studio, we poured light onto Garry, but bounced it indirectly off me. When he was working (he was a TV reporter for 40 years), the more diligent photogs would use a reflective umbrella to put extra light on his face. In studio they used to force him (almost at gunpoint ... he hates makeup) to use some powder to cut down on skin shine.

Me, they would slather on so much makeup I was afraid my face was going to crack if I smiled. The last time I did a commercial (June, I think), even without Garry, they did the same thing. Apparently I really need a LOT of makeup to show up on camera at all and I think in the sun, I fade even more. I'm hard to shoot. White skin, white hair. Pale eyebrows. And Garry is just lots of shades of brown and tan.Together we are nice to look at (I think), but hard to photograph. For some reason, we are easier on video than using still equipment (I'm sure there's a reason for that, but I have no idea what it is). Even easier? RADIO.

I do own some umbrellas, stands and lights. I have never used them on people. I used to run an online antique store and did a lot of product shots. I can't imagine how I could use them outside ... the whole electrical/cords/flat ground thing gives me the willies. The closest thing to shooting people using lights I've had is taking photographs of my antique dolls. I'm not a great lighting person, even with equipment. Rudimentary at best.I only had a few weeks during which I had a studio to work in ... and that was more than 30 years ago. AND I had a lot of coaching then, too.

[teepee12]

Originally Posted by zona5101

I cushion this reply only because of our interaction in a different post... so in advance I'll state I'm not trying to be flippant or anything else...

What ever worked in the studio can work outside, just need to figure out how to apply the technique. Give me one of your techniques that works in the studio that didn't work outside.
Is it an equipment issue?

Originally Posted by JFSanders

NYIoP article on photographing people with dark skin outside.

Scroll down to the second response to the OP

These two articles should help you out. The main jist is to meter off of the lighter face and to cross light the darker person.

Jim

The second reply was more helpful. I take great pictures of Garry by himself. The problem is not him by himself ... it's the two of us together. And of course, here is the OTHER problem: If I am in the picture, I am not TAKING the picture. That means that I have to tell someone else who probably isn't a photographer, just a camera holder, what to do. This has turned out to be a LOT harder than I imagined. My son takes dreadful pictures but he saves the worst for pictures of me and Garry. They are so awful they make me wince. My granddaughter is pretty talented, but portraits of people over the age of 16 seem to baffle her. She does try, but so far ... bad. I don't think we have a single usable shot of the two of us taken during the last 4 years. There was one about 4 years ago by a passing stranger at Coney Island. I treasure it. Other than that? Great shots of Garry by me. Some nice pix of me by Garry. Should we try HDR and combine them?

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by teepee12

I am very light and my husband is very dark, and we have never been successfully photographed outside a studio. Either I'm all washed out, or he's lost in shadow.

So I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to work it so that both of us (or any similar combination of people ... not just US obviously) show up? We have tried everything I can think of including him standing in the sun and me in the shade, or bright overcast days where there are very few shadows. In a studio, there are lots of ways to solve the problem, but outside? Nothing seems to work, though at least there is Photoshop now!

Thoughts? It probably sounds dumb but we've been married almost 21 years. We've got an anniversary in a few days and I thought it might be fun to get a nice picture of us.

Hi Marilyn, first, it would help us if we knew what kit you have because my answer would be one of (at least) the following but it might not be helpful if you don't have the kit to do so:
1. Proper use of flash. And by that I mean OCF (off camera flash). .You could use a light source that falls off quickly after striking Garry so as to not over expose you.
and/or
2. Shoot in open shade that has a bright light source coming from a direction that mostly/predominantly strikes your hubby.
3. Reflectors to bounce more of the available light to Garry. Even just a big white piece of paper would work to bounce some light back at him.

If you have nothing more than the pop-up flash on your camera and you don't find a good available light source, you're probably screwed. A nice area of bright (but not direct) natural light, (ie such as open shade) should give you enough to get a nice exposure.

Once you set up the camera settings and light modifier/source, it should be easy to tell your camera holder to just "hit the big button" once you've positioned them and told them how to compose it to your liking.

Yeah, if you're shooting RAW, as long as you don't clip your highlights or shadows, you could merge multiple exposures from one RAW image. Remember, with digital, it's more difficult to recover date from underexposed dark areas than bright areas.

[teepee12]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

Hi Marilyn, first, it would help us if we knew what kit you have because my answer would be one of (at least) the following but it might not be helpful if you don't have the kit to do so:
1. Proper use of flash. And by that I mean OCF (off camera flash). .You could use a light source that falls off quickly after striking Garry so as to not over expose you.
and/or
2. Shoot in open shade that has a bright light source coming from a direction that mostly/predominantly strikes your hubby.
3. Reflectors to bounce more of the available light to Garry. Even just a big white piece of paper would work to bounce some light back at him.

If you have nothing more than the pop-up flash on your camera and you don't find a good available light source, you're probably screwed. A nice area of bright (but not direct) natural light, (ie such as open shade) should give you enough to get a nice exposure.

Once you set up the camera settings and light modifier/source, it should be easy to tell your camera holder to just "hit the big button" once you've positioned them and told them how to compose it to your liking.

Yeah, if you're shooting RAW, as long as you don't clip your highlights or shadows, you could merge multiple exposures from one RAW image. Remember, with digital, it's more difficult to recover date from underexposed dark areas than bright areas.

Given your parameters, I think "just screwed" is probably apt. I could and will get another flash but I'm just totally out of money for the moment. I've been having a lot of fun buying, but the party is over ... at least till it starts again.

I cannot BEAR the idea of yet another set of hideous pictures of us. It is too depressing to contemplate. I think we'll just go off to dinner and eat sushi. Well, sashimi, really.

Untless ...I have a friend who has a great Nikon D7000 and maybe I can get her to come over ... if she has a car that is running ... I mean, it's possible (some of my friends seem to have no money for anything BUT their cameras....) and worth at least the asking! Thank you for being honest, and funny. A laugh is a good way to start any day, even a Monday.

[BigFuzzy]

I'd seriously consider using one kid to photograph you and the other to hold a large sheet of white posterboard (should be really cheap) to reflect light back to your hubby.

And yeah, mondays are made for laughing ...right?

[teepee12]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

I'd seriously consider using one kid to photograph you and the other to hold a large sheet of white posterboard (should be really cheap) to reflect light back to your hubby.

And yeah, mondays are made for laughing ...right?

Lord knows we have no shortage of teenagers around! I do not have poster board, but I do have 3 reflective silver umbrellas. If I can corral my granddaughter and one of her giggling pals and get them to stop giggling for a few minutes, that might just work. It is most certainly worth a try! Especially since it might well be the only game in town.

[Doug Sundseth]

With a single off-camera flash and an umbrella, I'd at least try moving the umbrella'd flash in very close to your husband for the shot. If the distance from the flash to your husband is half the distance from the flash to you, inverse-square-law falloff will give a two stop difference in the light from the flash. Then drag your shutter to get fill.

With a second light, I'd either stack it with the first light to get more even illumination top to bottom or use it to provide some even fill light from near the lens axis.

With a limited number and power of lights, you'll probably need to do this indoors or in open shade of some sort.

HTH

ps. For the price that I paid the last time my wife and I went out for sushi, you could probably pick up another flash.