Thread: "Professional" outdoor portraits?

What do you think of "professional" outdoor portraits?

Most of them I dont like them at all. Noisy Back grounds of some random bush or something dont do it for me. Even well made i dont like them.

Do people do them as they dont have a studio or lighitng or because they like them?

Enviromental portraits I get, like a fruit seller at their fruit stall, non enviromental i dont get at all.

If you have one your happy with or that might change my mind can you post a link please, im happy to be corrected and expect some abuse.......


thanks perki, nice!

I don't have a studio, or lights, so I do outdoor environmental portraits. I prefer them in many ways. I suppose the argument can be made that they are snapshotty. I can appreciate a great studio portrait as well. There aren't very many great portrait artists around in my area though. Just the usual McStudios in Wallyworld, Sears, and Olan Mills, a couple of wedding photographers who do some studio work, and a few home grown photographers who do some mediocre work from their spare room. Of the above, I prefer outdoor casual portraits, hopefully in a location that means something to the subject. Here is one I am fairly happy with.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12604020@N05/2847792181/

And another (equal time for the grands, lol)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12604020@N05/2707281995/

But I would like to know more about doing studio work, and may set up to learn it one day.

I love shooting outdoors. There is a time and place for studio lighting, and I use that, as well. I just enjoy the challenge of modifying the light nature throws my way. There are people who look beautiful in a studio, and those who look the most like themselves outdoors. It takes all kinds.

Here's a few of my outdoor shots that I don't think I could have captured the same way in a studio:
http://s475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/leegee01/Portfolio/?action=view&current=Anonymous.jpg
http://s475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/leegee01/Portfolio/?action=view&current=Ella1.jpg
http://s475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/leegee01/Portfolio/?action=view&current=30minute-3.jpg
http://s475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/leegee01/Portfolio/?action=view&current=Thompson-6.jpg

Here are two photographers whose Flickr streams have outdoor portraits that I envy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakig/2996711115/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/little_pooky/

I love shooting outdoors. Maybe it's a crutch, but the availability of so many things to make posing easier is really nice. Lean on this wall, sit on these stairs, put one foot on this rock, etc.

A hundred pictures of a bush in the background isn't good, but brick or stone walls, wood structures like fences, gazebos, bridges make great backgrounds. Throw in some early morning or late afternoon sun - mmm, you have to love that!