Where to do an engagement shoot in the afternoon

What would you suggest for a 1 pm photo shoot? Where would you do it? How would you do it?

Dave: It’s always a challenge. I mean, it depends on how hot it is in your area, but you know, like obviously you want find open shade in comfortable areas that the kids feel happy in and everything, so a park with very tall trees – like large trees – and big areas of open shade’s a great one. Or the shade side of a house, if you’ve got a nice backyard.

Taylor: And usually the sun isn’t directly overhead, but it’s pretty, pretty damn close – can I say ‘damn’? – and usually I can just put them up against a wall, or worst case scenario you can just shoot with the sun at their backs and usually that looks pretty good. You have to have a little more finesse camera-wise. Usually I shoot in May – well 99% of the time – [and] if not, it’s usually after priority. I think whenever I was first kind of experimenting with this, I would just spot metre right off their face, and it gets you pretty close if you’re shooting raw you can usually save it – if you’re shooting jpeg you might want to be a little more careful.

Dave: Cliff (?) taught us an awesome technique last year at a workshop, because he’s down in Florida, and he always shoots in direct sunlight for weddings, because it’s usually between 1 and 3 you have to do the style-see (?) prep. So he goes out, and all the other photographers are looking for their shade, but he goes in direct sunlight – back to the sunlight as you were saying, Taylor – and he always finds something dark to juxtapose against their halo.

Taylor: Yeah, if the sun’s at their back, then chances are they’re up against some trees or a wall or whatever, and even if it’s 100 feet away, it’s still going to be a shady spot.

Dave: So a long lens in that situation can make all the difference.

Taylor: And it really kind of pulls it together [and] makes it feel like a more professional photo. Just kind of looking at that to one with a background that’s really blown out.

Dave: Or just open shade, it’s still sort of cliché, isn’t it? That’s a really good idea, Taylor.