This shot I’m happy with. I shot here once before with a family and was already aware of the nice perspective and playing off of elements that makes this a great place to shoot. But I wanted to try a few new things, too. I was trying out a new lens and using a gradated filter for the first time. I shot 20-30 images in this pose, moving around, trying the sun out in a bunch of different locations. Between them was what I ended up on, but it was tough - a lot of shots were getting really blown out in the middle. Hiding it just enough was key.
It’s nice to take a break from trying to light somebody from the front. It’s been a long time since I did a natural light shoot. It limits your options, but frees you up, too. It was during that experimenting that I asked her to turn sideways. I had that “oh, that’s perfect” moment right there when she turned.
