Family Portraits In San Ramon | Shi-Nae
I had a lot of fun meeting Shi-Nae and her family for the first time and taking family portraits. This was actually their first official family portrait session. And they did a great job. Along with meeting them for the first time and it being their first family portrait session – it was also my first time taking portraits at the Bollinger Road Waterfall. Although the waterfall was not on at the time of our session, we had a lot of fun and captured some great images. Here are some of the images from Shi-Nae’s family portraits in San Ramon. As well as my top two lighting tips for outdoor portraits.
Outdoor Portraits Should ALWAYS Be Taken In Soft Light
My first rule for outdoor portraits is that they should always be taken in soft light. But what is soft light, you may ask? Soft lighting can take many different forms. But essentially, it is when the light on your face is evenly lit with no harsh shadows. An easy way to check is to hold your hand straight in front of you. If your hand is completely shaded – with no highlights, this is probably “soft light.”
In the early morning and in the evening, most all outdoor areas will be lit with soft light. There are no harsh highlights and most of the lighting is very even. This is due to the angle of the sun. As the sun gets higher-and-higher in the sky, there are less areas of soft light. The exception is in the shade. Shade provides soft, even light, at most times of the day. PRO TIP: if possible, making sure that the background is also shaded will provide even better images 😉
Keep The Sun Behind The Subject
If you are unable to have the session in the early morning or in the evening; and there is absolutely no shade – making sure the sun is behind you will ensure soft lighting on your face. While the background may be a little bright, the light on your face will be evenly lit. Along with this, you will not be looking directly into the sun and squinting. Places like the beach may not provide a lot of areas where there is soft light. In this case, check the direction of the sun and make sure it is behind you. PRO TIP: cloudy days make for soft, even lighting which is great for portraits. Even in the middle of the day, the lighting will be similar to the light in the early morning and evening 😉
Hopefully these are some useful tips that you can use – even when taking selfies! If you are looking to have portraits taken, I’d love to connect. The best way to reach me is through the contact form on my website. Thanks!
