Lighting in the woods
When photographing in the woods the lighting works both ways. It's beautiful and accommodating but at the same time it is also tricky to work with because it can be too bright (when in full sun light) or too dark (when too much in the shade). And when the light filters through the leaves it will cause these ugly sunspots on people's faces. I remember when I first started photographing people in wooded areas or close to trees, I didn't see the sunspots on their faces while I was taking the pictures. Later, when looking at the images in Photoshop I would kick myself! These sunspots are VERY difficult (impossible) to fix in Photoshop! I guess I was very occupied with composition and the settings of my camera and therefore didn't see the.
I've learned to look closely at faces and bodies and hands to make sure there's no harsh light on my subjects. I really like finding the beautiful light BEHIND the person I'm shooting. I make sure they are always in the shade. With a flash and a diffuser I light up the subject's face while keeping the natural light as is.
This particular High School student wanted a photo session in the woods because he used to ride his dirt bike in areas like this when he was a lot younger. For posing options I like guys putting their hands in their pockets or do a soccer player cross-armed. For girls It's fun to have a hand under the chin or to the side of the head.
