# Advice: Full Body Sunset Potrait



## KMKPhoto (Feb 20, 2014)

I have a shoot on Tuesday, it is going to be a submission for the Hooters Calendar and I want to make sure I take the best photo possible. I plan on using my deck at sunset, it is very large and faces the sunset, there is a golf course behind it, and a lake behind that. Previously I just used a circular reflector, but this time I want to take advantage of off camera flash. My rental budget is up to $300 for this one, I have an assistant, and I should be able to use up to a 135mm lens and still get a full body shot.

Current Equipment:
-Canon 6D shooting tethered to Lightroom
-85mm F/1.2L II
-600EX-RT w/stand and umbrella
-ST-E3 Transmitter
-Cheap Tripod
-Manfrotto Monopod
-Wescott 20" Reflector set (Gold/Silver/Diffuser)

This is what my deck looks like, there is a large portion to the left out of frame. Also, here are some other shots I've taken there.






















What would you guys rent? How would you set it up? Would you use a wide aperture for bokeh or try to capture the background as well? I was thinking a large full body size reflector, 2 more 600EX-RTs with shoot through umbrellas. I am undecided on the lens, I can use my 85mm F/1.2L II or I could rent a 135mm F/2L


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## mackguyver (Feb 20, 2014)

I'd stick with the 85 - unless there's some specific reason you need to shoot longer (flatten large facial features or need to bring background elements closer). I think your best bet is to get at least 1 assistant, preferably 2 - one to help with lighting (hold reflector, move flashes) and the other to make sure the model's hair and clothes are perfect. With this style of shot, unless the background is really special, you generally want to keep it clean. Also, you'd have to get far back with an 85mm lens to get much into the frame. You can also shoot her in the pool from above to get nice clean blue water, or get in the pool and shoot at her eye level with the setting sun behind her.

For backlit lighting, you'll want to balance it with the setting sun, while adding a bit of extra light on the model to make her "pop" out of the background. In that situation, I usually start with the sun providing the hair light and then use a large reflector for fill (for the most natural lighting) and then add in flash as the light drops. You'd then "drag the shutter" by using the flash to freeze the action while exposing for the sunset. If you want the really saturated sky, you'll probably want to rent 1 or 2 other 600EX-RTs - using your umbrella as the main light, the 2nd 600 as fill (ratio lighting) and the 3rd with a grid or snoot for a hair light.

I don't have access to my old work at the moment, but here's one I shot a little while back with nothing more than a 4' rectangular reflector. The sun provided a hair light, the reflector served as the main/accent light, and the open shade was the fill. This was at ~35mm effective FL and f/3.2 to get a little background in the frame without distracting from the model. You'll probably want to shoot between f/1.2 and f/2 to blow out the background:


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## mackguyver (Feb 26, 2014)

KMKPhoto said:


> I have a shoot on Tuesday, it is going to be a submission for the Hooters Calendar and I want to make sure I take the best photo possible.


So how did the shoot go?


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## sanjosedave (Feb 26, 2014)

What kind of pictures were used in previous Hooter calendars? That will guide you on bokeh


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