Enhancing Your Outdoor Portrait Photography Skills

When I first started exploring outdoor portrait photography, I quickly realised it’s a beautiful blend of art and technique. Capturing someone’s personality in natural light, surrounded by the world outside, feels so authentic. But it’s not always straightforward. The light changes, the environment shifts, and your subject’s comfort matters just as much as your camera settings. Over time, I’ve gathered some tips and tricks that really helped me improve my outdoor portrait skills. I’m excited to share them with you, so you can create stunning, genuine portraits that tell a story.

Mastering Natural Light for Outdoor Portrait Skills

One of the biggest challenges - and joys - of shooting outdoors is working with natural light. Unlike a studio, you don’t have full control, but that’s part of the magic. The key is to understand how light behaves throughout the day.

Early morning and late afternoon, often called the golden hours, offer soft, warm light that flatters skin tones and adds a gentle glow. I always aim to schedule shoots during these times when possible. The light is less harsh, and shadows are softer, which means fewer worries about squinting or unflattering contrasts.

If you’re shooting midday, when the sun is high and bright, try to find some shade. A tree, a building, or even a large reflector can help diffuse the light. This avoids harsh shadows on your subject’s face and keeps the image balanced.

Here’s a quick tip: use a reflector or a white surface to bounce light back onto your subject’s face. It’s a simple tool that can make a huge difference in brightening eyes and softening shadows.

Using a reflector to soften shadows in outdoor portraits

Composing Your Shots with Outdoor Portrait Skills in Mind

Composition is where your creativity really shines. When you’re outdoors, you have so many elements to play with - trees, walls, pathways, even the sky. But it’s important to keep the focus on your subject.

I like to use the rule of thirds to place my subject off-centre. It creates a more dynamic and interesting photo. Also, look for natural frames like archways or branches to draw attention to your subject.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with angles. Shooting from a slightly lower angle can make your subject look confident and strong, while a higher angle can add a sense of vulnerability or softness.

Backgrounds matter too. A cluttered or distracting background can take away from the portrait. Look for simple, clean backgrounds or use a wide aperture to blur the background and make your subject pop.

Remember, the environment should complement your subject, not compete with them.

Using natural frames to enhance outdoor portraits

How much to charge for a 2 hour photoshoot?

Pricing your work can feel tricky, especially when you’re just starting out or trying to grow your client base. For a 2 hour outdoor portrait session, I recommend considering several factors:

• Your experience and skill level: If you’re just beginning, your rates might be lower to attract clients. As you build your portfolio and reputation, you can increase your prices.

• Location costs: Some outdoor locations may require permits or fees. Factor these into your pricing.

• Post-processing time: Editing photos takes time. Include this in your rate to ensure you’re compensated fairly.

• Client expectations: Discuss what the client wants - how many final images, prints, or digital files. This affects your workload and pricing.

  
  

As a rough guide, many photographers in the Bournemouth area charge between £150 and £300 for a 2 hour outdoor portrait session. This range reflects different levels of experience and service offerings. Be transparent with clients about what’s included to avoid misunderstandings.

Building Rapport and Comfort Outdoors

One of the most important parts of a successful portrait session is making your subject feel at ease. Outdoors, this can be a bit more challenging with distractions like passersby, weather, or noise.

I always start by chatting with my subject before we begin shooting. Getting to know them a little helps me understand their personality and what kind of images they want. It also builds trust.

During the shoot, I give gentle guidance but encourage natural movement and expressions. Sometimes, I ask them to walk slowly, look away, or interact with their surroundings. This helps capture authentic moments rather than stiff poses.

If the weather is chilly or windy, I keep sessions moving and take breaks to keep everyone comfortable. A relaxed subject always results in better photos.

Elevate Your Work with the Right Gear and Settings

You don’t need the most expensive camera to take great outdoor portraits, but having the right gear helps. A lens with a wide aperture (like f/1.8 or f/2.8) is fantastic for creating that creamy background blur, which really makes your subject stand out.

I usually shoot in aperture priority mode to control depth of field while letting the camera adjust shutter speed. It’s a good balance between control and flexibility.

Don’t forget to check your ISO settings. Outdoors, you want to keep ISO as low as possible to avoid grainy images, but be ready to increase it slightly if the light dims.

A tripod isn’t always necessary, but it can be handy for stability, especially if you’re using slower shutter speeds or want to experiment with creative compositions.

Finally, always shoot in RAW format. It gives you much more flexibility in post-processing to adjust exposure, colour, and sharpness without losing quality.

Bringing It All Together

Improving your outdoor portrait skills is a journey. It takes practice, patience, and a willingness to experiment. But the rewards are worth it - those genuine, beautiful portraits that tell a story and capture a moment in time.

If you want to see some inspiring examples or learn more about how to create authentic images, I highly recommend checking out outdoor portrait photography. It’s a great resource and a reminder of what’s possible when you combine skill with passion.

Keep shooting, keep learning, and most importantly, enjoy every moment you spend behind the camera. Your unique perspective is what will make your portraits truly special.