Taking portraits is one of the most fun parts of being a photographer. When you manage to snap a great shot of someone, one that totally captures personality and evokes a feeling, it’s a great way to bond to your subject forever. Capturing just the right image can be a challenge, especially when shooting outdoors. While the environment can be a little more challenging than a controlled light setting, natural light can be your friend when trying to achieve an effortless, natural look.

There are several simple things you can do to take great portraits when you’re shooting outdoors. Follow these eight rules and your portrait taking skills are sure to improve. I’ve included an example illustrating each point so you can see what it looks like in practice.

1. Get in the shade
Trying to position your subject in the shade will help eliminate the need to squint their eyes because of the bright sun, so the face and eyes will be more relaxed and natural. Plus, when you’re shooting in the bright sun, it’s easy to over expose the shot. In the shade, you can shoot with a larger aperture without risking over exposure and will have more uniform light no matter what your subject is wearing and the colors you’re working with in the background.

2. Know your angles
Pay special attention to the shape of your subject’s face and the way they naturally sit and place their arms. Try to work with a position that comes naturally, but be mindful of some common portrait issues.

Be sure the eye line between you and your subject is natural and doesn’t look uncomfortable. If you are higher than your subject, you will tend to get a flattering face and body angle. Have your subject sit while you stand. You don’t need much height difference, even standing on a higher step or standing up on a bench should be enough.

Have your subject open their shoulders a bit toward you, keep the chin down and be sure their face is positioned to catch the light. Using this angle will also eliminate the “double chin” issue many portrait subjects are uncomfortable with. Many times, it’s all in their mind, but this is a good way to help prevent it.

3. Use light and shadow with purpose
Strategic use of shadows and contrasting light angles can help set the mood of a portrait and make it a little more “artsy.” There’s an element of mystery when shadows are used correctly. Have enough light to tell the story and just enough shadow to leave something to the imagination. During your shoot, play around a little bit with your subject’s angle relative to the light to see what works best for their face.

4. Get the candid moment
Sometimes the best portraits happen when the subject isn’t focused on the photographer. It’s okay to have distractions around and it’s important to be ready with the camera even when your subject isn’t posed and ready. Keep your finger on the shutter and keep the subject in focus. If you see a moment, a look, a special twinkle in the eye, snap the shot. It’s not always about eye contact and smiles.

5. Use a reflector
One of the best investments you can make for your photography career is buying a set of reflectors. You can get them pretty inexpensively, a set of 4 colors (white, black, silver and gold) for under $25. Sometimes it will make most sense to shoot your subject with the light at their back, and in that case, having a reflector handy to push light back onto their face will make a huge difference. It will help achieve some sparkle in the eyes even when the main light source is behind your subject’s face.

If you don’t have reflectors handy, you can use something as simple as a piece of white poster board or a white sheet. These won’t work as effectively, but in a bind, with limited supplies they will often do the trick.

If you have someone with you to help assist, it’s easier to adjust the angles as needed. If not, keep some clamps with your camera bag or tripod so you can set up a reflector and still have both hands free for your camera.

6. Focus on the eyes
In any portrait situation, your focal point should be right between the eyes. If you need to adjust your camera’s focus points so they’re in the right position in the frame, check out your camera manual for how to make the necessary changes. Don’t worry if you’ve lost it, most can be found in PDF format on the manufacturer’s website.

If you’re shooting with a lens with autofocus, be sure to lock in on the eyes then move the camera to create the framing of your subject you want. If you’re shooting manual focus, it’s a little more tricky. Keep your own eyes locked on your focal point until you’re sure you’ve got it.

If you’re shooting with a zoom lens, try zooming in as close as you can, focusing on the eyes, then zoom out until you’ve got exactly what you’d like in the frame. It can be tough to tell from far away if you’ve got the right focal point. This is a good habit to try to solve that common problem.

7. Check your background
Don’t underestimate the importance of what is behind your subject. Solid or big blocks of color are easy to work with, as are simple geometric shapes like brick walls or steps. If it’s too colorful or contains too many different shapes, it can detract from of the portrait subject. Also think about where your subject is positioned within the frame and how much of the background you want to include to help drive the eye to where you want it.

8. Make ‘em laugh
If your subject gets too focused on posing or smiles too long, the face can become tense and the smile will start to look a little fake. Be sure to mix it up a bit an keep it fun. Try to make your subject laugh once in a while, and be ready with your camera when you do. That is the time to snap the shutter a few times.

Don’t know how to bring some fun into it? Try being quiet for what seems like an awkward amount of time. Subjects will often laugh to help ease the tension. You might also try simply saying “dont laugh!” in a humorous voice. Somehow, people tend to laugh only once told not to. Be smiling, keep the conversation lighthearted and make it easy for your subject to feel comfortable with your camera in their face. Of course, if you’re close with your subject, feel free to mention some inside jokes or comments you know will bring out a giggle.

Your job as a photographer is to really capture your subject’s personality and produce an image they’ll be proud to use as a representation of themselves. What questions do you have? What issues do you face during outdoor shoots that aren’t addressed here?