GET YOUR BOOTY OUTSIDE!
Taking a session outdoors is not for the faint of heart, but for repeat clients or the ballsy first-timers it’s definitely something I might suggest. There’s nothing more liberating than frolicking around in nature nudie or in your skivvies and it truly makes one feel connected to Mother Nature, Universe, and the bigger picture. Here are 5 ways that I like to utilize the outdoors:
Find a private spot for pure liberation - If you are wanting to have you client get completely naked, you are going to want to make sure that it is a safe spot with minimal onlookers. It is our job to protect our client first and foremost so check in with them and their comfort level as you go about. For me, I will find secluded spots in the forest, out at my family cabin during the week, or far off the beaten path. Make sure that your client is also very aware of how much walking you expect them to do. Also, check your city/province/state laws about where to shoot sans permit or if they allow nudity at all!
SHOOT IN HARD LIGHT - Hard light can be incredibly difficult for new photographers, but it’s actually easier than you think it is! Use the exposure meter in your camera to expose for the brightest part of light on your client and adjust your settings appropriately - take your time and watch the light and shadows and don’t be afraid to move your client as needed. You will probably have to up your aperture (I love to shoot these at f11 or higher!!!) You can put things between the sun and your client to create some cool patterns on the skin as well! (Also, make sure that your client knows to close their eyes when facing the sun to avoid squinty eyes or burnt retnas!) Add some sparkly garments to really make it magical!
Shoot wide - I am a lover of photographing big landscapes with people in them. I shoot with a 24mm and sometimes even a 12mm to get some really wide, awesome, interesting shots! (You just want to make sure your subject is more in the middle to avoid distortion - but also play with distortion because it can look cool!!!) I notice I am usually drawn to centering my subject, but I also will push myself to play with composition to see what magic I can create!
Up In The Sky - Playing with perspective is really fun for me, so I like to get super low to the ground shoot upwards to frame my subject in the sky! I am privileged to live in a beautiful place with gorgeous colors, vast cloud arrangements, and ever changing skylines. While we may not have huge hills or mountains, we do have enough landscape differences to put the subject slightly ahead of me.
Get Low, Get Low, Get Loooooow - Just as we look up at the sky, it’s important to look down at the ground. If I don’t have a step ladder or a way to get up above my subject high enough, I will use live view on my camera to get a glimpse (or just guess and keep trying until you get the composition you want). Stretch your arms as high as they can go and then angle your camera down towards your client to get rid of the horizon to surround your client in foliage behind them. When we are outside we usually don’t have furniture so we have to get more creative with our angles and perspectives!
Shooting outside is one of my favorite things to do because it is never consistent and even when you try to plan, your light might change, it might rain, you could end up with different terrain than anticipated, etc. It is this need to adapt in the moment that really gives my outdoor work its vibe. If I could shoot outside year round, I totally would do it, but seeing as I live in Winnipeg where we have snow for at least 6 months, I need to mix it up.
This summer I spent more time outside shooting than ever before and it was one of the best summers of my career thus far. It was the desire to get outside that had me create The Universe Decides cards - a deck of cards featuring 6 different categories that give you specific instructions on where to shoot, what to shoot, how to shoot, and when to shoot to keep you on your toes. These sessions give me absolute life because its when I truly feel like an artist and the people who have been my subjects on the other side of my lens also love it because we are collaborating together to create magic AND you can have 0 expectations because you have no idea where the hell you are going!! If you want to learn more about these cards, head to: theuniversedecides.com to check it out!
