Technical Solutions | Z 7II/Z 6II TIPS

The Outdoor Workflow

This section takes you through the workflow for outdoor portrait and wedding photography.

©Alina Rudya

"Composing and Posing" (see this section)

"Test Shots" (see this section)

"Taking Pictures" (see this section)

"Retouching Pictures" (see this section)

Composing and Posing

Before composing shots and requesting your subjects to take their places, tell them the sort of pictures and poses you have in mind. Communication is the key.

Capturing Light

You'll generally find yourself using natural light for outdoor shots. Among the factors you'll need to consider when composing shots and choosing poses are where the light is coming from, the time of day (and position of the sun), and the weather.

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Oblique Lighting Is Best

Positioning your subject with sunlight coming from the front at an angle of 30° to 45° adds catchlights to their eyes and life to their countenance. The shadows created by lighting faces from one side add just enough relief to further enhance facial expressions.

Test Shots

Take test shots before the main event to see if the look and colors match what you have in mind.

Colors

Tints added by colored lighting, such as the green tint added to the faces of subjects standing on a lawn, are called "color casts". Color casts can be corrected using reflector panels or by placing a white cloth at your subject's feet. Be sure to position reflectors or cloths out of the frame so that they aren't visible in photos.

For more striking colors, switch from [Auto] white balance to [Choose color temperature] and select the color temperature manually.

Color temperature can be viewed in the playback photo info display.
Low color temperatures add a bluer, "cold" cast while higher values make pictures redder.
Shift white balance toward magenta (M) to reduce green casts or toward green (G) when faced with unnatural-looking reds.

Capturing the Original Colors

For colors closely matching those of the original scene, try using preset manual white balance. Preset manual meters white balance directly from a white or gray object lit the same way as your actual subject. It can be accessed using [White balance] > PRE ([Preset manual]) in the menu. For more information, see the camera Reference Manual, available via the Nikon Download Center (https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/).

Easy Exposure Compensation

To adjust exposure compensation using only a command dial, choose [On] for Custom Setting b2 [Easy exposure compensation]. The selected value will not be reset when the camera is turned off or the standby timer expires.

Fine-Tuning Picture Controls

Those who enjoy tweaking Picture Controls will find custom Picture Controls a useful tool (see this section). You can name and save them as you choose or copy them to memory cards for use with compatible software or other cameras of the same type.

Customizing Picture Controls

Raising [Sharpening] or [Contrast] too high may make portraits look harsh.

Taking Pictures

Now on to the main event: taking the actual pictures.

Useful techniques for portrait and wedding photographs can be found under "Shooting Techniques" (see this section).
Remember to take test shots and check the results after changing locations or composition (see this section).

What If…

…My Model Tends to Blink?

If conditions are making it hard for your model not to blink, try shooting bursts with [Continuous L] or [Continuous H] selected for release mode and picking the best shots.

…I Need to Be Quiet?

If you're worried that sounds from the camera may disturb those around you, select [On] for [Silent photography] in the photo shooting menu to eliminate the noise and vibration from the mechanical shutter.

Cautions: Silent Photography

Selecting [On] for [Silent photography] does not completely silence the camera. Camera sounds may still be audible, for example during autofocus or aperture adjustment, in the latter case most noticeably at apertures smaller (i.e., at f-numbers higher) than f/5.6.
Flash photography is disabled.
Long-exposure noise reduction is disabled.
There is no limit to the number of photos that can be taken in a single burst, regardless of the option chosen for Custom Setting d2 [Max. continuous release].
The electronic shutter is used, regardless of the option selected for Custom Setting d5 [Shutter type].
Regardless of the settings selected for [Beep options] in the setup menu, beeps will not sound when the camera focuses or while the self-timer is in operation.
Enabling silent photography changes the frame advance rates for continuous release modes.

…The Scene Has Depth?

Stopping aperture down or opening it up to increase or reduce depth of field changes the amount of bokeh and thus the impressions your photos create.

Retouching Pictures

This section introduces you to the art of retouching pictures using Nikon's NX Studio computer software. Available only from Nikon, NX Studio can be used to view and edit pictures and process NEF (RAW) photos. An installer is available from the Nikon Download Center (https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/).

Color Control Points: Targeted Changes to Brightness and Color

Color control points can be used for targeted adjustments to brightness, color, or the like.

Color Booster: Making Colors More Vivid

The color booster tool optimizes saturation to make colors more vivid.

"People"

Choose [People] to boost colors without affecting the look of portrait subjects.

"Nature"

Choose [Nature] to boost the colors of all elements in the frame, including portrait subjects.