Kayla with Parasol – Blanco, Texas

It seems like, with every portrait, I’m revealing more of this old west set. Even with a shallow depth of field, you can make out the primitive wooden structures in the background.

The midday sun can be harsh in the old west or the Texas Hill Country. Here, Kayla was backlit. A reflector added welcome light to the subject, making the exposure easier and adding catchlights to the eyes. With the ample dynamic range from the Fuji GFX 50S II and post-processing, I crafted a well-exposed portrait in un-ideal conditions.

Lighting a subject is preferable — not solely relying on post-processing. I admit I’m not a good practitioner of lighting techniques. Part of this is my street photography bias of embracing whatever conditions naturally exist. But it’s also out of laziness and the unwillingness to set up the extra gear to light a subject. A person to hold a reflector was a welcome luxury.

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