Another portrait photoshoot in Torbay, Devon

I went back to the same location as the previous model photoshoot, to try some other spots in that location. In complete contrast to the photo shoot the other week, where it was drab grey and dull, this shoot was in the harsh, midday sun. How did it go?

I don’t like being limited to sunrise and sunset. I like being able to shoot in any light; harsh, dull, grey or blinding. This shoot was a test to overpower the sun and also to diffuse the harshness when the client was in direct sunlight.

The shot I wanted most was the client standing in a lovely overhead plant trellis. Once positioned I had a few problems to overcome, as this test-shot clearly shows…

The test shot to see more clearly all the issues that needed fixing.

The main problems were:

  • Once we were set-up and ready to go, a member of the public decided that was the perfect moment to sit down on a bench right in front of the camera. This caused extra problems because he was wearing a bright red T-Shirt and bright green socks and crocs.
  • The midday sun was harsh and there was a lot of dappled lighting
  • The trellis, although lovely, wasn’t evenly filled. A lot of the top trellis towards to the rear was completely empty.

A had a friend hold a diffuser above the client to diffuse that harsh and dappled light. A strobe to the right filled in the shadows for a more even look. I also went to 200mm to compress the scene so the trellis looked more evenly filled. At 200mm I was also able to hide the man and bench in the shot. The result was this…

Eliminating all the problems to create a clean portrait.

We moved over to the sun temple and as this photo (taken by my good friend Kirsty) shows, the light was really harsh…

I positioned my strobe to again fill the shadows and I also used a kicker-light behind to make the photo pop a little more. The result was this…

The final spot at this location had shade so I was able to fill in the shadows with my strobe and I used a warm gelled back light to add some seperation…

If you would like your portrait or headshot taken, please get in touch. I live in Torbay but I can easily travel.

Simon Day

If you have a wedding, portrait, event or festival coming up please contact me. Likewise for portraits. Check out my social media channels: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter