The phrase “natural light” is usually seen as a dirty word amongst flash photographers, but the light that already exists on a scene can often be just as pleasing as anything you can make with flash – if not more so. I’ve found that it helps to know how to work with both because flash isn’t always available when you want to shoot a photo. In this video, photographer Emily Teague serves up six tips for shooting portraits outdoors in natural light on the streets of Brooklyn. Like many portrait photographers, Emily started out using just natural light for a few years before picking up a flash for the first time. So, she goes back to her photographic lighting roots for this one.
I actually went the opposite way when I started photographing people. I began with flash and then shifted over to natural light a couple of years later. It was definitely something of a challenge at first to get the kind of looks I saw in my head, but with a little effort and forethought, natural light can present some wonderful images. Personally, I’m a big fan of those cloudy days down dark alleys for my outdoor city portraits! What’s your top tip for shooting portraits with natural light?
