Molly + Austin are so much fun to be around. I think we were all laughing the entire time we spent together. They are getting married in Nashville later this year but are in Memphis right now for Medical/Grad school. As you may imagine it is difficult to find time off from Med School so we schedule the shoot in Memphis while I was there to shoot a wedding. We started in Overton Park, then we headed to the Peabody Hotel, and finished down by the Mighty Mississippi. I'm so happy for you guys and can't wait to shoot the wedding!
Back-Lighting
tr.v. back·light·ed or back·lit (-l
t
), back·light·ing, back·lights
To light from behind:
This is one of my favorite lighting techniques. As you can tell from the definition above it is a really simple lighting technique. All you have to do is put your light source behind your subject. Even at high noon (when the sun is supposedly directly overhead) backlighting is an option. I use backlighting about 80% of the time. The other 20% is mainly spent shooting in the shade. There are a few things to remember when Backlighting your subject outdoors:
1. Expose for your subject not the background.
If you are taking a portrait then you should prioritize the person and not the background. If you expose for the background your subject's face will be super dark. In my opinion it is okay to somewhat "blow out" the background when you are taking portraits of people. This is a great time to use spot metering so you can expose on for the subjects face.
2. Consider using a Long Lens with a lens hood
The later in the day you are shooting the higher risk you run of lens flare. If you are backlighting, you are shooting into the sun, and the lower the sun is the more it will be shining into your lens. Using a long lens with a lens hood helps you better manage/reduce the amount of sun coming into the lens.
3. Move around
Even though your light source is behind the subject, is doesn't mean that you have to all be aligned. What I mean is...you dont' have to have the Sun directly behind your subject and shoot from directly in front of your subject. Move to the side until you are happy with your composition and amount of lens flare.
Here are some examples of BackLighting:
Sloan + Aaron = Cedarwood Engagement
I thought we may have to reschedule the shoot because the entire morning was cold and rainy. By the time the shoot started it was just cold. The great thing about the weather was that the overcast skies meant we could go anywhere in Cedarwood's amazing venue and not have to work around what the Sun was doing. Sloan + Aaron were so much fun to spend the day with and I have to give special props to any couple that is willing to hop into a boat for their session.
Yellow Sky Actions = Master Control + Completion Perfection
Master control does what it sounds like...it gives you master control over the basic adjustments you typically need to make to a photo like dodging, burning, and sharpening specific parts of your image. Here is a before and after straight from camera and then edited using the magical powers of Yellow Sky Actions. Click the banner below the photos to get your own set of Actions.
Before + After = Yellow Sky Actions
Here is an example of how you can improve a photo using Yellow Sky Actions with a few clicks of the mouse using It's Time To Shine at 30% and Autumn Ease at 50%:
Click below to get your own set of Yellow Sky actions...
Click me