Outdoor Portrait Photography Tips For Beginners

If you're just starting your journey into portrait photography, the outdoors offers an incredible, free studio with endless creative possibilities. No expensive lighting setups. No cramped indoor spaces. Just you, your camera, and the natural world as your canvas.

In this guide, I'll walk you through everything you need to know to start capturing stunning outdoor portraits.

Before we begin: If you're looking for a chance to get your work noticed and win prizes, consider submitting your portraits to our portrait photography contest at The Artist Gallery. It's a great way to grow while getting real feedback.

Essential Equipment for Outdoor Portraits

Starting outdoor portrait photography doesn't require emptying your bank account. With a few key pieces of gear, you'll be well on your way to capturing beautiful images.

Camera Choices That Won't Break the Bank

You don't need the latest full-frame professional camera to take great outdoor portraits. Many entry-level DSLRs or mirrorless cameras will do the job beautifully. 

What matters most? Look for a camera that offers:

• Manual mode for creative control (If you're unfamiliar with this setting, here's a helpful breakdown on how to use manual mode on DSLR)

• Decent low-light performance (for those golden hour shots)

• The ability to change lenses

If you’re still shooting with your smartphone, that works too! Modern phone cameras can capture stunning portraits, especially with portrait mode features.

Lenses That Make Your Subjects Look Amazing

For portrait photography, lenses matter more than camera bodies. A 50mm f/1.8 lens (often called a "nifty fifty") is an affordable gem that creates beautiful background blur and flattering portraits.

An 85mm lens is considered the classic portrait focal length, though it's typically more expensive. If your budget allows, this lens creates even more flattering compression that makes subjects look their best.

Avoid using wide-angle lenses (below 35mm) for close-up portraits as they can distort facial features unflatteringly. Nobody wants a bigger nose in their portrait!

Simple Accessories That Elevate Your Photos

A few affordable additions can transform your outdoor portrait game:

5-in-1 reflector: Under $30, this circular fabric disc bounces light onto your subject's face, filling shadows and creating catch lights in the eyes.

Lens hood: Prevents sun flare when shooting toward light sources.

Extra batteries: Nothing worse than running out of power during golden hour!

Camera bag: Something comfortable that protects your gear from weather and bumps.

Skip the tripod for now unless you're shooting in very low light. Portrait photography is often about movement and connection, and being tripod-free helps you stay mobile.

Finding the Best Natural Light

Natural light is the outdoor photographer's best friend and, at times, their worst enemy. Learning to work with it will transform your portraits more than any camera upgrade.

Golden Hour

The hour after sunrise and before sunset creates magic for portraits. The low angle of the sun casts soft, warm light that flatters every face and creates a dreamy atmosphere.

During golden hour:

• Position your subject so the light hits them from the side for sculpted, dimensional lighting

• Try backlight (placing the sun behind your subject) for a glowing effect

• Look for spots where light filters through trees for beautiful dappled patterns

The catch? This perfect light lasts for such a short time. Scout your location beforehand and be ready to work quickly.

If you're unsure when to shoot, here's a guide on choosing the best time to take pics outside.

Midday Sunlight

Noon sunlight creates harsh shadows and makes people squint. Not ideal! But sometimes midday shoots are unavoidable.

Find open shade under trees, buildings, or overhangs. Your subject gets soft, even lighting while still keeping the outdoor feel in your background.

If no shade is available, use your reflector to bounce light up into your subject's face, filling those raccoon-eye shadows under the brows.

Another trick: position your subject with their back to the sun, meter for their face, and let the background blow out bright. This creates a high-key, airy look.

Choosing the Perfect Location

The right background can make or break your outdoor portraits. It's not just about finding pretty scenery; it's about finding settings that complement your subject without stealing attention.

How to Find Backgrounds That Make Your Subject Shine

The best backgrounds often have these qualities:

• Some depth (not flat)

• Consistent colors that don't fight with your subject

• No distracting elements or bright spots

• Some texture or interest

Parks, beaches, fields, urban walls, forests, all can work beautifully. But always ask: "Does this location help tell my subject's story?"

For beginners, I recommend locations with even lighting and simple backgrounds. As you grow more confident, you can tackle more challenging scenarios.

Creating Depth in Your Outdoor Portraits

Flat portraits look boring. Create a sense of depth by:

• Using a wide aperture (low f-number) to blur the background

• Ensuring good distance between your subject and background

• Looking for leading lines that draw the eye through the frame

• Including foreground elements to frame your subject

When scouting locations, don't just look at what's behind your subject; look at what's in front and to the sides too.

Location Scouting Tips Worth Their Weight in Gold

Visit potential shooting locations at the same time of day you plan to shoot. Light changes everything.

Take test shots with your phone. They don't need to be perfect, just check for distracting elements and lighting conditions.

Look for locations with multiple "micro-locations" close together. This gives you variety without wasting time traveling between spots.

And always have a backup plan! That perfect field of flowers might be mowed down or that scenic spot might be crowded with tourists.

Composition Techniques for Outdoor Portraits

Even the most beautiful location and perfect lighting won't save a poorly composed portrait. These composition strategies will instantly improve your outdoor portraits.

Rule of Thirds: The Simple Trick That Always Works

Imagine your frame divided into a 3×3 grid. Placing your subject at the intersections of these lines creates more dynamic, interesting portraits than centering them.

Many cameras have a grid overlay option you can enable to help with this. Use it!

For traditional portraits, try placing your subject's eyes near the top third line. For environmental portraits showing more of the location, position them on a vertical third line.

One-liner: Rules are made to be broken, but learn them first!

Creating Visual Stories Through Framing

Natural frames add depth and context to your portraits. Look for:

• Archways

• Tree branches

• Doorways

• Rock formations

• Tall grass or flowers

These elements create a "frame within your frame" that draws attention to your subject.

Try shooting through foreground elements like leaves or grass for added depth. Just be careful not to obscure important features like eyes.

For stunning examples of nature as a compositional element, explore these landscape photography tips.

Portrait vs. Landscape Orientation: When to Use Each

Portrait orientation (vertical) is the classic choice for portraits! It emphasizes the person and minimizes distractions.

Landscape orientation (horizontal) works better when:

• The location is an important part of the story

• You're photographing groups

• There are interesting elements to either side of your subject

• You want to capture more of the sky or ground

Don't get stuck using just one orientation. Try both during your session for variety.

Camera Settings for Beautiful Portraits

The technical side of photography can be intimidating, but mastering a few key settings will dramatically improve your outdoor portraits.

Aperture

The aperture controls how much of your image is in focus. For portraits with soft, blurry backgrounds:

• Use Aperture Priority mode (A or Av on your mode dial)

• Choose a low f-number (f/1.8 to f/4)

• Make sure there's a good distance between your subject and background

This creates that pleasing "bokeh" effect that makes professional portraits stand out.

Caution: Very wide apertures (like f/1.8) create a razor-thin focus area. If both eyes aren't on the same plane, one might be blurry. When starting out, f/2.8-f/4 gives more room for error.

Shutter Speed

For handheld portraits, follow this rule of thumb: Your shutter speed should be at least 1/focal length to avoid camera shake.

Using a 50mm lens? Stay at 1/50 second or faster. 85mm lens? 1/85 second or faster.

If your subject is moving (kids, for example), you'll need even faster speeds, 1/250 second minimum.

In bright conditions, this is rarely an issue. 

ISO Settings

ISO controls your camera's sensitivity to light. Lower numbers mean better image quality but less sensitivity.

For sunny conditions: ISO 100-200 For shade or golden hour: ISO 400-800 For deep shade or sunset: ISO 800-1600

Modern cameras handle higher ISOs much better than older models. Don't be afraid to push to ISO 1600 if needed to get the right exposure.

The grainy look of higher ISO is far better than the blurry mess of too-slow shutter speeds!

You can also explore in more detail the best camera settings for portrait photography to fine-tune your outdoor sessions.

Posing Your Subjects Naturally

Even experienced photographers find posing challenging. The secret is to create natural-looking poses that bring out your subject's personality.

Simple Poses Anyone Can Look Good In

Start with these foolproof poses:

• Standing at a 45° angle to the camera (not straight on)

• Weight on the back foot

• Slight bend in the front knee

• Hands doing something natural (in pockets, holding an object)

• Chin slightly down and forward

For seated poses:

• Sit at the edge of the seat, not all the way back

• Create angles with the arms and legs (no limbs pointing straight at the camera)

• Lean slightly forward toward the camera

And you’ll notice that what feels slightly exaggerated to your subject often looks just right in photos.

Making Your Subject Feel Comfortable

The best poses mean nothing if your subject looks tense or uncomfortable. Try these techniques:

Talk continuously while shooting. Give specific, positive feedback: "That looks great! I love how the light is catching your eyes."

Demonstrate poses yourself first. This feels silly but works wonders.

Start with simple poses and build complexity as your subject relaxes.

Give them something to do with their hands. Holding a coffee cup, adjusting clothing, or touching their hair all create natural hand positions.

Simple Editing Tips for Outdoor Portraits

Even the best outdoor portraits benefit from some basic editing. These simple adjustments will elevate your images without requiring advanced Photoshop skills.

Basic Adjustments That Make a Huge Difference

In whatever editing software you use, focus on these key adjustments:

1. Exposure: Brighten underexposed images, being careful not to blow out highlights.

2. Contrast: A slight boost adds dimension to cloudy-day portraits.

3. Highlights and shadows: Recover detail in bright skies by reducing highlights; brighten shadows to show detail in darker areas.

4. Vibrance: Adds richness to colors without making skin tones look unnatural.

5. Clarity: A small amount (+10-20) adds definition to features and textures.

If you want to take it further? This walkthrough on how to edit black and white photos can give your portraits a dramatic, timeless feel.

Keeping Skin Tones Natural in Your Edits

The fastest way to ruin a portrait is unnatural skin. To maintain realistic skin tones:

• Use the white balance eyedropper tool on a neutral gray area in your image

• If the skin looks too orange, reduce orange saturation slightly

• If the skin looks too red, reduce red saturation slightly

• Avoid heavy skin smoothing filters that create the "plastic skin" look

Remember that skin has natural texture and color variations. Preserving these maintains a natural look.

Common Editing Mistakes to Avoid

New photographers often make these editing errors:

• Over-saturating colors

• Applying too much clarity/texture, making skin look rough

• Heavy vignetting (darkened corners) that looks obvious

• Excessive skin smoothing that removes all texture

• HDR effects that create halos around subjects

When in doubt, step away from your edit for a few hours, then look again with fresh eyes. If an edit jumps out at you, it's probably too strong.

Conclusion

The journey into outdoor portrait photography starts with these fundamentals but truly blossoms with practice. Each shoot teaches something new, about light, about human connection, about your own creative vision.

And if you're ready to put your growing skills to the test, check out our open photography contests where beginners are always welcome.