One of the biggest concerns for prospective clients about booking a natural light photo shoot is the weather, or rather the lack of certainty that it will be perfect. There are indeed no guarantees when if comes to the forecast, but what is all-too-often overlooked is the fact that each type of weather has its own unique advantages for photography, especially for photographing people…
WHAT IS CONSIDERED BAD WEATHER ?
When you book my outdoor photo service, you can rest assured that, in the event where the weather conditions made shooting impossible and an alternative date can’t be arranged, your booking fee will of course be refunded.
Weather that would prevent a shoot would include more extreme conditions such as heavy rain or strong winds. In all other cases, great images can always be captured. Below I’ll explain why, referencing some typical weather examples…
OVERCAST SKIES
Just because you can’t see the sun, doesn’t mean it’s not there doing its job. Bright overcast skies are fantastic for both portraiture and lifestyle shoots, because the clouds, acting like big reflectors, diffuse beautiful soft light everywhere. This eradicates shadows, meaning that expressions are clear and - when taking candid shots of couples or groups - greatly reduces one person casting unwanted shadows on another so that posing can be relaxed and flexible.
CLEAR SKIES
When the sun is bright in a clear sky, the light is going to be very directional. Whilst this will dictate the perspective certain photos are shot from (you’ll certainly require more direction from the photographer), the great thing about directional light is the contrast produced by the strong shadows cast both on you and by you on the ground below. October is famously the best month for this type of light, with the sun’s angle really optimal for creating such dramatic shadows.
LIGHT RAIN
Although heavy rain can be cause to cancel a shoot, if it’s just a case of very light rain of drizzle, we’d go ahead, and quite rightly so. Having lived in Paris for many years, I’ve never quite understood the cliché that it’s always raining here, as it’s simply not the case. However, the fact remains that visually, rain and Paris go together extremely well: rain drops can help give both the background and foreground of a photo a blurred atmospheric look, which places even more emphasis on you, the subject.
If there is ever a chance that it will rain slightly during a photo session, I’ll advise clients to bring a neutrally coloured umbrella (ideally black) which can serve as a versatile and aesthetic prop. For couples, as it’s something that can be shared, it can be great for bringing two people together visually.
