From a recent engagement shoot... harsh sunlight on a dock...any suggestions for the future?

Have your clients wear neutral or darker clothes if you'll be shooting in such bright light. A white blouse and yellow shirt are about as bright as they come. Better yet, bring an assistant and a panel to aid in blocking some of the direct lighting, use off camera flash and reflectors to light faces. In other words, control the light, even when you are in bright sunlight.

find some shade...reflecting light from the water adds to the brightness...and being out on the end of a dock doesn't help.

1.)surrounded by reflective water
2.)not enough room to move around to control the light with some sort of gobo/diffuser


Next time, if you need a shot on the dock, get them holding hands at the end of it or something, with more background...IMO, them being on a dock doesn't add anything to this picture...also...have both subjects look at the camera (or away from it, in the same general direction)...it looks off if one is looking directly into the lens, and the other is staring into space. As far as handling harsh lighting, find something to diffuse or block the light...this could be as simple as a black cloth stretched between a pvc frame, or combo-pack reflector/diffusers can be found relatively cheap online.

Hope I wasn't too "harsh". (such a dork)

...good luck.

Also she is a fluffy girl and being one myself, you need to pose her so she feels thin. Pose her perhaps so that she is slightly behind him, half showing her to hide her figure. Shoot from slightly above her to give her neck a place to hide and to stretch it.

For engagements, you should have some choice of the time of day you shoot. If the shoot was an hour before sunset, the light would be perfect...take advantage of that "magic hour" next time. General rule: the lower the sun is on the horizon, the more flattering the light. This rule will also serve you well at weddings. If in direct sun, you HAVE to shade them artificially or otherwise. Trees are good if the foliage is very full, but not if it's patchy.

I can't see your images for some reason, but great advice above about posing plus-sized girls....!

http://godburnphotos.smugmug.com

Thanks for all your advice. I have some in the shade next to the dock, but struggled incorporating the dock.. Here's a slightly different take..

still blown out, but definitely a better take on the dock than the first one...I just wish it didn't look like the groom was sitting on a pole.