Location portraits with the Westcott 6 in 1 Illuminator

As a new photographer it is easy to forget about the basic elements of lighting a portrait on location. There are already several things to consider, and many new photographers get caught up in their camera with getting the proper exposure or focus instead of also taking light quality into account. This added attention one should give to the quality of light is what I believe hurts many new photographers.
I am referring to the quality of light falling onto your subject. This includes the direction of light in relation to your subject or whether they are in direct sunlight or a shaded area.

These factors can be used to your advantage, but are often overlooked by new photographers when at a location filled with distractions. They are also extremely important to understand before moving onto adding a flash for fill, or in an attempt to over power existing light with flash. As you can imagine these things just add to the variables and make the balancing act of a photographer even more difficult.

So let's start from scratch with just our camera, the subject, and our light source. In the picture below I wanted my subject backlit by the setting sun as it came through the trees of the park. This seemed like an obvious choice since my only other option was to face him in the opposite direction facing the sun. This would result in a "squinty" unnatural look from the direct sun in his eyes. Not to mention an unhappy model.

Richard Ducat is the drummer for the progressive metal band NACIREMA.
 Click on the picture above for more information . 

I then told Rich to angle his body towards me. Now, rather than having him completely backlit by the sun, it is wrapping around his face and onto his nose. By doing this I was using the sun as a backlight and what is referred to as a "kicker."

Now I brought in another light source. The rest of the light was still provided by the sun, yet redirected by a reflector or "bounce". I use the Westcott Illuminator 6 in 1. This is a priceless piece of gear that I always carry with me on location. Reflectors require virtually no set up time. Great results can be as easy as directing an assistant where to stand while holding it at the appropriate angle. In this case we used it as a fill to avoid a lot of shadows on the left side of the photograph (the right side of his face). It also provided a unique catch light and lessened the shadows under the eyes and chin. You can see this catch light at the 8 o' clock position in the subject's eyes. 

So don't make things more difficult than they already are, and don't underestimate the value of a reflector. There are many other uses for reflector kits like the Westcott Illuminator. With this kit you have the option of 2 diffusers to soften the light falling onto a subject. It also includes 3 covers for reflective surfaces, as well as a black surface that can be used as a flag to block light. You can learn more and order the 52" Westcott Illuminator kit at B&H Photo.