It’s the heat of the summer (quite literally) and you know what that means? Vacation time!! I just went to the Outer Banks, NC in June and ended up taking some of my favorite portraits at a favorite mini golf course, believe it or not!
We went around 5:00 pm so the natural light was great and the surroundings were surprisingly nice :). I knew it was going to be a good shoot when I captured this image of my friend Melissa on the way up to the course.
All I had to do was point my camera in her direction and she instantly gave me a huge grin and head tilt haha, I love it!! She is complemented by the neutral colors and shallow depth of field in the background, which ensure that her face is the primary focus.
Later as we were trying to escape the heat, I snapped this picture of Brianna in the cave which would have been too dark normally, but when she turned her head around into the light it was pure magic. Her blonde hair, light skin and pale green eyes are all beautifully contrasted with the dark gray background so that she stands out and just glows!
And another favorite is this shot of my parents. Again the light and natural looking background were very helpful.
So when you go on vacation and even at home, don’t worry so much about an important landmark or busy background, go for something that helps the subject stand out. Not to mention, your models won’t feel the pre-photo shoot jitters if they are at a comfortable, fun place.