Behind the Scenes of an Outdoor Portrait Shoot

**What Could Possibly Go Wrong?**

Welcome to my outdoor studio. It’s outdoors because I don’t have an indoors – yet.
Besides, outdoors is my natural habitat…
Birds singing, sunlight glowing, and a gentle breeze fluttering my subject’s hair like a shampoo commercial.

Or, you know… the usual: mud, bugs, sweat, and the unmistakable feeling that the universe is absolutely toying with me.

Let’s walk through how the “perfectly planned” outdoor portrait shoot unfolds.

The Weather Forecast Says: Sunshine
The Sky Says: LOL… No.

I’ve spent three days checking various weather apps.
Perfect. Sunny. 21 degrees. A soft golden sunset promises to make my client look like a Greek Goddess.

And then she arrives…
Clouds roll in like a truck in a sand storm, the sky goes from “warm glow” to “angry steel,” and my subject gives me the look of someone silently thinking:

“This; the day YOU picked”

Time for Plan B:
Pretend clouds are dramatic and intentional.

Bugs Fly in to Co-Star

I’m trying to pose a family group gracefully in the meadow. They’re smiling, connecting, giving all ‘Family Vogue’.

And then:
Bzzzzzzz.

Suddenly, everybody is swatting mosquitos like they’re in an invisible ninja fight club while I am trying to capture moments that say:

“Effortless elegance.”

Instead, the gallery now includes:

Twenty photos of a person looking horrified at something just off-camera.
A grid of tiny brown dots where midges photobombed the background.
Several members of the family performing the ‘Australian wave’.

Perfect Wind; Until It’s Not

There’s “Fashion Wind,” which makes hair look dramatic and cinematic.

And then there’s Nature Wind, which:

Schmushes hair into lip gloss
Turns dresses into sails
Creates looks of great concern as the artfully arched tree branch curved above them, starts to creak menacingly

I’m dancing about trying to stop my lighting tripod from tipping over as my subject’s hair flails around like a possessed sea creature.

Wildlife Encounters

When I say ‘wildlife’ what I mean is that either my horses, the chickens, or my cats turn up to ‘help out’ at the photoshoot.
Rest assured, the horses remain firmly behind a fence – otherwise one of them, (Zephyr) would be in there meeting and greeting and generally causing mayhem. As it is, he is good making sure the attention remains on him as he demonstrates with great deal of hamming it up, his most beatific smile for all to see and admire. I have to admit, he is hilarious.

Other possibilities include:

Our two ‘Stealth ducks’ (named for their ability to blend in with the chickens at feeding time) waddle into frame and refuse to leave
One or two of the cats who decide that now is the moment to introduce us all to their new ‘friend’ Brer Rabbit. Brer Rabbit looks like he has gone 3 rounds with Mike Tyson. The cats drag him away when it is clear no one wants to meet him.
Our rooster – Roo Paul, brings his girls over like a puffed up little tour guide, drowning out my instructions with his raucous crowing. The girls seem impressed.
The client’s dog spots a chicken, slips his collar and all hell breaks loose as the chicken races past at the speed of a flying pullet, the cats bolt for the nearest tree, Brer rabbit is left sitting on the ground wondering what just happened and in the middle of it all, the dog is having the best time of his entire life.

The Lighting Is Perfect—For About Three Minutes

I get everything set, do a test shot, and celebrate because it’s PERFECT.
Warm, creamy sunlight. Golden hour is here.

I reposition my subjects, and lift the camera.

And the sun drops behind a cloud; leaving a suspiciously gloomy outlook.

Now I’m scrambling with reflectors like I’m operating a NASA landing panel while my clients wait patiently, wondering:

“When did taking a photo become so…technical.”

Random Joggers Think They’re Invisible

I meet my clients (a woman with her much-loved pooch) at the local park. It’s beautiful, spring flowers have sprung, the light is great, I’ve framed the shot beautifully. My subjects look exquisite.

I’m ready.

Click.

A jogger appears in the background wearing neon lycra, moving at the speed of someone herding Australian cane toads.

We wait.
Another jogger appears and then stops to stretch, in the background, right behind my subjects. In the frame, it looks as though he is perched on the head of my client.
A couple with walking poles nimmer on through.
Then a man carrying a frozen chicken. (I am secretly hoping he might start juggling said chicken)

It becomes a parade. We await the clowns.
Then we accept our fate.

Clients Bring Props I Wasn’t Emotionally Prepared For

“I just brought a few things to personalise the session!” they say.

I assume flowers.
Maybe a hat.

Instead:

They bring a four-metre glitter ball
They come dressed as furries
The wee girl is wearing a head band resplendent with a large fluorescent pink flower on it and her pet rooster looks ready to do battle with the flower.

No judgement. Just mild horror.

But Then… Magic Happens

Because even with:

wind,
‘wildlife’
forty strangers waddling behind your subject,
and the occasional speeding pullet…

There’s always that moment.

The light hits just right.
They forget the camera and laugh.
A bird flies into frame in just the right place.
I get the shot.

And suddenly—every chaotic element was worth it.

Even the chicken guy.

Final Thoughts

The behind the scenes of an outdoor portrait shoot is nothing like the Pinterest vision.

It’s messy.
It’s unpredictable.
It’s occasionally loud, muddy, or under attack by winged (or hooved) creatures.

But that’s also where the magic lives—
in the real, the wild, the hilariously imperfect moments that become stories my clients treasure forever.

And honestly?

A little chaos just makes better memories.

Plus, I can fix almost anything in Photoshop.
(Except the lycra clad joggers. They know what they did.)

Behind the Scenes