Lighting plays a crucial role in outdoor portrait photography, and understanding how to manipulate natural and artificial light can transform an image from average to exceptional. Renowned photographer Joel Grimes shares his expert approach to storytelling with light in outdoor settings. This video explores his techniques for overcoming harsh sunlight, balancing exposure, and crafting cinematic portraits.

Outdoor photography often involves dealing with intense sunlight. Grimes applies the "Sunny 16" rule, which suggests that at ISO 100 and f/16, a shutter speed of 1/100s will produce a well-exposed image in bright daylight. However, modifying these settings is essential to create depth and dimension.

Joel Grimes uses a mix of natural light and artificial lighting to balance exposure and enhance subject separation. His standard setup includes:

For total control, Grimes often replaces or enhances natural sunlight with a hard artificial light source positioned 8-10 feet away from the subject. This creates strong shadows and highlights, mimicking real sunlight while ensuring consistency.

To add realism and depth, Grimes incorporates props relevant to the subject’s environment. For example, in a cowboy portrait session, a rope was introduced, reinforcing the ranch setting.

Shooting from a low angle makes subjects appear larger-than-life, giving them a powerful, heroic presence in the frame.

Rembrandt Lighting – A classic portrait technique where light creates a triangular highlight on the subject's cheek.

Short Light – Directing the key light to the far side of the subject’s face for a dramatic look.

Neutral Density (ND) Filters for Shallow Depth of Field

ND filters allow the use of wide apertures (e.g., f/1.7-f/2.2) while maintaining proper exposure. This isolates the subject by blurring the background, creating a more cinematic effect.

Grimes emphasizes capturing multiple framing options (horizontal & vertical) to accommodate various media formats, from print layouts to social media posts.

Mastering outdoor portrait lighting involves understanding the relationship between natural and artificial light, using the right modifiers, and applying creative storytelling techniques.