USE OVERCAST LIGHTING

Capture outdoor portraits under flat but softer natural light

Whenever we move a shoot outside, we lose an element of control over the lighting. Ultimately, we cannot shift the position of the sun, which means we must adjust the placement and posing of the subject to make better use of the available illumination.

There is a reason why many portrait photographers choose to shoot only with natural light – it is often softer, more wraparound and easier to work with since we don’t have to worry about controlling intensity. The process can be far more streamlined than using studio lights and is often the first type of workflow we learn when studying the subject or starting out in photography.

Overcast light is generally excellent for portraiture as the clouds take on the role of a giant softbox, diffusing the raw sunlight and minimising bright hotspots and deep shadows, through reduced contrast. With only global exposure adjustments, we can control the look and feel of the shot, while ensuring technical correctness. There is a downside, however. Since the light has such a wide spread, it falls evenly on everything in the scene, making it tricky to direct the viewer’s eye to where we need it to focus. The inherent lack of contrast often produces minimal depth and shape, while cloudy light can also introduce unexpected colour anomalies.

Saturation is often higher, meaning we have to be careful with the outfits worn by the subject, as these can ‘pop’ more than the skin tones and draw attention away from the face. Unless it is a fashion shoot, where the clothes are the subject, this is often an undesirable effect. Furthermore, because the sun is obscured by the cloud layer, there can be a cool cast with unwanted blues and cyans creeping into the shadows and skin tones.

“Overcast light is ideal for portraiture. Clouds act as a giant softbox”

Above LIGHT ON LIGHT Even in diffused lighting, adding a small amount of fill flash can introduce attractive local contrast and lift facial features, while adding eye catchlights

COLOUR DEPTH Use diffused light to capture both strong and muted colour palettes. The former allows the subject to stand out more effectively in a detail-rich environment Right

EVEN EXPOSURE STRONGER COLOUR FLATTER FEEL EASIER DEPTH THE CLOUD COVER HAS MADE IT EASIER TO AVOID BLOWN HIGHLIGHTS AND DEEP SHADOWS, BUT THIS CAN REDUCE FACIAL SHAPING BOTH A BENEFIT AND POTENTIAL DRAWBACK, OVERCAST SKIES CAN PRODUCE SATURATED COLOURS THAT MUST BE CONTROLLED FOR BEST EFFECT EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED SIMILARLY, MEANING THE PHOTOGRAPHER HAS HAD TO WORK TO MAINTAIN SUBJECT-BACKGROUND SEPARATION, USING SHALLOW FOCUS