School Picture tips???

[bookloveraz]

I may be getting the chance to take some friend's school photos (ages 9, 8 and 4). It's just a learning experience -- I'm not getting paid or anything, but I do have some questions:

Does anyone have any composition tips? They want them done by their lilac bushes.

Since I don't have a defuser, or reflector should I be hoping for a cloudy day, or would sunny be better?

If any one has any tips or articles that you think might be helpful, please share! It might not even happen, but if I do end up taking the photos I want to be prepared.

[i speak in math]

a flash diffuser won't do anything outdoors; there's nothing for the light to bounce off of.

Just use natural light, keep the kids pretty far away from the bushes, but use them as the background. Use a large aperture to isolate them from the background. You can use a reflector to bounce some light onto their faces so they aren't too dark.

[bookloveraz]

Originally Posted by i speak in math

a flash diffuser won't do anything outdoors; there's nothing for the light to bounce off of.

Just use natural light, keep the kids pretty far away from the bushes, but use them as the background. Use a large aperture to isolate them from the background. You can use a reflector to bounce some light onto their faces so they aren't too dark.

Okay, thanks for the tips! I'll keep them all in mind. Would white poster board work as a reflector, as I don't have a real one?

[i speak in math]

yep, that would work, just make sure you reflect the light from above, and not from below, to avoid that ghost-story/flashlight-below-the-face look

[bookloveraz]

Originally Posted by i speak in math

yep, that would work, just make sure you reflect the light from above, and not from below, to avoid that ghost-story/flashlight-below-the-face look

lol, okay thanks!

[karen_s]

Avoiding mid day sun would be good too. I'd try for before 10am or after 5pm. Not that you can't work at high noon, it's just the lower position of the sun tends to be easier to work with. Reflectors (I've used white foam core before) will help a great deal too, no matter where the sun might be. Oh, and try to avoid the dappled light under the shade of some trees. Solid shade works well but the dappled, not so much.

And have fun with it. The more fun it is, the more personality you will capture.

[bookloveraz]

Originally Posted by karen_s

Avoiding mid day sun would be good too. I'd try for before 10am or after 5pm. Not that you can't work at high noon, it's just the lower position of the sun tends to be easier to work with. Reflectors (I've used white foam core before) will help a great deal too, no matter where the sun might be. Oh, and try to avoid the dappled light under the shade of some trees. Solid shade works well but the dappled, not so much.

And have fun with it. The more fun it is, the more personality you will capture.

I didn't even think about the times that would work best. Thanks for bringing that up! I'm writing down everyone's tips and keeping them handy. :-D