It's finally warm enough in the midwest to take photos outside using natural light comfortably! I really love using natural light. I typically only grab 2 things when shooting outdoors.... My camera and my 5 in 1 reflector. Do you have a 5 in 1? ever wonder when to use the screen inside the reflector? Well using it in direct sunlight will help you:
1) Not blind your client 
and 
2) soften harsh shadows on the face for smooth even lighting

It's an awesome inexpensive collapsable diffusion screen! I think I purchased my 5 in 1 online for less than $10.

The example above was taken with my Nikon D800e and 85mm 1.8 lens. Having the screen held above Olivia (photographed) on the right gives her a soft even glow. You'll also notice that by softening the shadows to the face it tends to flatten it a bit so be aware of your curves layers when editing diffused images to ensure that you retain dimension. 

Depending on your final composition aesthetic the screen can help you quickly modify your lighting so that you have multiple options in selecting your final image. 

I do love harsh light and shadows but in some cases it just doesn't work so having a 5 in 1 reflector tucked under my arm gives me a variety of natural light modifiers without the hassle. 

Happy shooting! 

I had the pleasure of the K2P crew in the studio today for some blog, promotional, and headshots for their website! Just a little video to share what we did yesterday! Thank you ladies! So much fun!