Hey Dee,

Absolutely, getting it right the first time is always the best thing to do. However, there is not always a chance for re-dos. With that in mind, I try to fix everything in photoshop first. Getting people to go out and re-pose is more than a time hog. It also changes how the client sees us professionally, I think.

The trick with shooting flash outdoors is to meter off of the ambient light (note, not flash meter, but camera meter) so that your flash is only exposing your target and not bleaching everything else out. Typically, I FEL (Flash Exposure Lock for those of us who are Canonites) when I am doing a flash exposure.

If I am shooting straight in direct sun, I use the flash straight on and kick the flash up to plus 1 to help compensate for the shadows caused by the sun.

James

PS For the shot below, I think that a color reference might be helpful. I have no idea what the young woman's skin tones were like and have no idea if what I am replicating is OK or not...it looks a bit sallow for me off the top.