CharleyL
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 p.1 #2 · Modifier for small environment open space shooting? | |
You haven't described your shoot with enough detail to make it fully clear as to how you are trying to set up this photo shoot, but I'll make a few suggestions based on what you have provided -
Working with you in one boat and your subject in the other is usually going to be quite difficult with you moving in one direction and the subject moving in another, but higher shutter speeds can avoid motion blur. If your camera is capable of multiple shooting for each press of the shutter button, you can pick the best of them in POST. Sports photographers do this. With both of you and the camera in the same boat, at least you will all be moving in the same direction at the same time.
To avoid Sun flare you will need to shield the camera lens from the Sun. Changing the boat direction might be the easy way to fix this. Can you trade places with your subject, or at least pick an orientation that keeps the Sun from shining into the camera lens? You haven't said if this is a private small boat that could easily be changed slightly in direction or if this is a cruise line commercial boat. If you can't change the boat direction, a shield to block the Sun from directly hitting the lens will be needed, like the black side of a five way reflector held just out of camera view, but in a position that blocks the Sun from shining directly on the camera lens. An assistant is usually needed to hold this reflector, especially when the wind is blowing. A 16" square or larger of black foam core of matt board might work. Most anything that puts the end of the camera lens in the shade of the direct Sunlight will work, but it needs to be placed where it's not seen by the camera lens. Usually close to the lens, but angled so as not to be seen in the shot works best, but something larger and farther away from the lens will work too. You just need to put the end of the camera lens in shadow from direct Sunlight.
You might be able to set the focus point of the camera on the subject's face only, and not need a flash, but if shooting a group, adding flash or a reflector to light their faces and upper parts of their bodies usually helps. When outdoors in a park or similar and in bright Sunlight I usually try to position my subject in the shade of a large tree or building, then use a reflector to light their face and body with me holding the camera and/or the assistant holding the reflector. I have an extended triangle shaped 5 way reflector with a handle at the narrow end that I can hold with left hand while holding the camera with right hand when I don't have an assistant. In a public park, or maybe a cruise line boat, there are many that stop to watch photography, especially when the subject is young and pretty, so it's usually easy to get someone to hold the reflectors, but you need to train them to hold the reflector high and reflecting the Sun down on the subject from above. Your reflector for this use is basically using the Sun's reflection to create your second or third light source on your subject. They should not hold the reflector low and angled up at the subject. It creates unnatural Goulish light and shadowing when held low and reflected up. If no shade to work in, a large 5-way reflector with the outer cover completely removed, makes a "Scrim" a semi transparent filter that can be held over the subject to disperse the direct Sunlight. Of course, this requires another one or two assistants, especially in the wind. Your method of dealing with Sunlight and lens flare will be easy if you can see where the Sun is in the sky and position your subject and you to make maxim use of it as your main "Key" light source. Assistants with reflectors then become your 2nd and 3rd, etc fill lights. To me, trying to "Over Power the Sun" with powerful lighting is crazy and too heavy to carry to and from the photo shoot. I make use of the Sun as best as I can and use reflectors, scrims, etc to control it and get the shots that I want. Using soft boxes and expensive lighting outdoors is crazy. Mother Nature has a sense of humor, and just when you have those expensive lights and soft boxes set up perfectly, a sudden gust of wind on what seems to be a wind less day will blow them down. Save the expensive lights and soft boxes for indoor photography.
When the sky is overcast, but not dark and not raining, you have the largest possible soft box overhead, powered by the Sunlight, to get great photos. Use it as your Key light and fill in with speedlites or small lights like Godox AD200 outdoors. No soft boxes, but sometimes reflectors and grids when you want to better control their light direction.. These are more wind proof, but when I do use lights outdoors I make use of sandbags, filled at the shoot location and emptied where found after the shoot. I also make use of paracord, a small 1/4" diameter or less very strong woven jacket cord, Gaffers Tape, Boot Laces, etc. to secure the light stands well, sometimes to big rocks, park benches, railings, small sized trees, etc. Don't forget to weight your tripod down. I have an eye nut on the bottom of the center column of my tripods, and use D Rings to hang my camera bag on them, or something else for weight.
Some or all of these ideas might help you on larger boats. About 1/3 of the weight that I carry to remote photo shoots involves gear needed to deal with the Sun, the environment, and Mother Nature's sense of humor. She's a destructive old broad.
If you wish to add more detail about your boat location and shoot, I will try to provide some better answers.
Charley
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