Capturing Natural Outdoor
Moments with the Sony A7C II and 85mm GM II
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
Half Term Holday
There’s something special about photographing real moments — especially when they’re with your loved ones. During my son’s half-term holiday, I decided to take the Sony A7C II paired with the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II lens for a day out, relying solely on the beauty of natural daylight. No flashes, no artificial lighting — just pure sunshine, laughter, and real emotion.
Why the 85mm GM II for Outdoor Portraits?
The 85mm GM II is a dream for portraits. It gives a creamy bokeh that beautifully separates the subject from the background, even in wide, sunlit spaces. It’s fast, lightweight, and the autofocus on the A7C II is incredibly responsive — perfect for capturing spontaneous moments when kids are on the move!
Whether it was my son running through the park, exploring the woods, or just smiling in the golden light, every frame had that crisp sharpness with a cinematic touch that I love.
Gallery
Shooting Without Flash — Letting Daylight Do the Work
I wanted this shoot to feel as natural as possible. Using only ambient light, I played with the direction and intensity of the sun to shape each shot.
Morning light gave us soft, warm tones.
Midday sun offered contrast and energy.
Late afternoon glow added that signature golden-hour warmth that makes portraits magical.
Shooting without flash challenged me to really read the light — positioning my son so that shadows worked in my favor, and using open shade when the sunlight was too harsh. It’s a creative exercise I recommend for every photographer — it teaches you to see light differently.
Adding My Custom Presets for the Final Touch
After importing the images into Lightroom, I applied some of my custom presets to bring the colors and mood to life. These presets are designed for natural outdoor tones — enhancing sunlight, adding soft contrast, and keeping skin tones vibrant and realistic.
If you’d like to try them out, you can find all my Adobe Premiere Presets available here:
👉 SkylensCapture.co.uk/adobe-premiere-presets
These are the same presets I use in my daily work — they help speed up editing while maintaining a consistent, cinematic look across your shots.
Final Thoughts
This shoot reminded me that sometimes, the best photos come from simple setups: a reliable camera, a great lens, and beautiful natural light. The Sony A7C II and 85mm GM II combo proved to be perfect for capturing authentic outdoor moments — especially when the subject is someone as special as your own child.
