I need help with outdoor lighting?

The effect you wish to achive is called "halo effect" without fill flash you will not be able to make it work. The light ratio between the settibg sun and the faces in deep shadow will be beyond the exposure latitude of the film.
Regards Mike


I'm hoping someone can help me; I'm an amatuer photographer and will be taking black and white photos at a friends' wedding. It will be close to sunset, near the ocean. I'm wondering how to get the light-framing effect of having the sun setting behind the couple (with the sun being directly blocked by something) without having their faces disappear into blackness. I'm only using ambient light, no flash or artificial light at all. Can anyone help me?

Shoot with flash at reduced output. (-1 to -2 stops)
With the flash attenuated, adjust exposure for optimum capture of background.
Subtle use of flash will allow you to get faces and background within exposure latitude of either film or digital dynamic range.

Bob J