Indoor Photography vs. Outdoor

Indoor vs. Outdoor

(brought to you by QuickPro Camera Guides)

Outdoor

In outdoor conditions a shaded area would be best. The shade that the trees provide will help your subjects look more natural in the photos. If you place them in the shade they won’t squint their eyes like they would if they were placed in the direct sunlight. Also, the shady area will produce fewer shadows and smoother, more even skin tones.

One way to give your photo this “boost” is to add a little light and depth with a reflector. A reflector is simply an object that “bounces” light from the light source to your subject. In this scenario, a reflector would “bounce” the light from the sun onto the subject’s face. You can pick up a reflector from almost any camera store.

If you decide to take your pictures in direct sunlight and notice harsh shadows there are things you can use to reduce these shadows. You can use your reflector to bounce more light to your subject’s face. The light will help fill in the shadowed areas. You can also use your camera’s built-in flash. The flash will fill in shadows, revealing more facial features.

If you are outside and notice a lot of backlight behind your subjects you can first use your camera’s flash. It will compensate for the lack of light falling on your subject’s and return proper exposure. Another option to help fix your backlit subjects is to adjust your aperture and shutter speed to properly expose the subject and not the background. The background in the photo will appear very bright, but the subject will be properly exposed.

Sunlight moves and changes in predictable ways throughout the day. If you have been noticing a beautiful building that is lit by full sun in the morning, keep in mind it will have shade in the afternoon. Learning to watch the way sunlight moves will help you take great pictures in locations that have beautiful ambient light.  So, next time you see a great spot for taking pictures, make a note of the lighting conditions and the time of day.

Another thing to remember about outdoor photography is that cloudy days are good! Don’t get discouraged if it is overcast on a picture day. The clouds will actually make the light in your photos better. Overcast days diffuse the sunlight, making shadows softer and skin tones more even.

The best lighting for photography is just after sunrise and right before sunset. Harsh midday light can make your subjects squint or create shadows on your subjects face, so if you're taking pictures outside in the afternoon, remember to find a shady spot.

Indoor

The best light to use in an indoor setting will most often be the sunlight from the window. If you use it well, window light has all the beautiful qualities of sunlight in outdoor shaded areas. Taking pictures using the window light in the room will make your subject’s skin look natural and smooth. If you are not photographing people it can enhance, for example, a cat’s whiskers by shining light onto the cat’s face.

If you find yourself indoors with no sunlight available the best way to get properly exposed pictures is to change the ISO to a higher number. You’ll probably get some noise in your pictures, but you’ll get better exposure than you would at a lower ISO. Remember to pay special attention to your aperture and shutter speed so that you’ll have a good exposure as well as crisp, sharp pictures. However, if you are in a setting where flash is acceptable this will compensate for your lack of existing light.

Assignments

• Locate a shady area in your backyard or at a local park and take a person with you as your subject. You will notice they are not squinting in the shade but their face may appear dark. Make sure you have a reflector with you to practice bouncing light from the sun into your subject’s face. Work on positioning the reflector to gain even light onto the subjects face.

• Move your subject to direct sunlight. Experiment using your camera’s flash in this situation to fill in their facial features so they are not uneven due to the sun and shadows.

• Move to a place outdoors (whether in your backyard, a park, or elsewhere) and find a place that is heavily backlit. This will help you to continue practicing with your camera’s flash, shutter speed, and aperture to properly expose the subject.

• Compare all of your outdoor photographs to discover the best settings for each situation.

• On a sunny day find a window in your house letting in a good amount of light. Position a subject next to the window. This can be a pet, your child, or even a piece of fruit. Try capturing the subject from different angles and moving the subject to different positions within the sunlight.