I am a beginner and I am wondering what kind of filters are best for this kind of outside portrait photography. Also what are some other useful things I would need like a flash ect...to have the best portraits. Thanks!

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Learn about off camera flash. Portraits typically have 3 principle lights. Each of which is modifed to achieve a desired effect -main light -fill light. Gives shadows some details -rim light, back light, hair light. Lots of names for this one filters. People use to lije soft filters but now that is done in photoshop.

I shoot mostly portraits, and I don't use any filters. I hate to break it to you but, there is no magic filter that makes the best portraits. In fact, filters do more harm than good. Portraiture is something that requires skill, which is gained through study, practice, and experience. There no one lens, no one focal length or range, no best lighting setup, or setting. You find a niche and you ride it, use it to craft your work. Ask any portrait photographer and you'll get six of one, half dozen of the other in terms of setup, technique, and style, and that's no joke. As for me, I don't use flash....period. I use 100% natural light. But that doesn't mean I go outside and just take a picture of someone. I modify the light with both a subtractive source, as well as a reflective source. I soften harsh light, and deepen soft light. I use a manual focus, high speed prime lens, and full frame DSLR. But most importantly, I've put a lot of investment into not only the equipment I use, but the time it took me to figure it out. I never once asked how to shoot a portrait, or what's the best equipment to use, on yahoo answers. It's not something you can ask and get a straight answer to because we all have different ways we do it. But if you were to ask how we got there, we'd tell you the same thing....we took the time and figured it out. There's no trick to it, we actually learned. You should try it. I know you think that's what yahoo answers is for, but it isn't. You can't ask how to be a brain surgeon, then expect to start doing surgery just like that. It's a little more complicated than that. You want a general idea of where to start, ask that. You don't ask how to have the best portraits because that question is as rhetorical as it is ridiculous. If you want to learn how to do something well, put in a little effort. So, how would you start? Well, get a camera. You'll need one of those. Forget filters. Portraiture ain't about filters, and cutesy editing techniques, the detract from your subject. Contrary to what a lot of people actually believe, full frame is the best in my opinion, for portrait photography. People will disagree because full frame is mad expensive and most believe you can still get away with doing it cheaply, on a crop frame. That's cool, whatever floats your boat. But a full frame has a more shallow depth of field with fast lenses, which lend better to subject isolation. In my opinion, it works better on full frame. I've tried on a crop frame camera, and I just wasn't getting the desired effect. So I switched to full frame. It's not as bad as most people think. You can get a 5D used for a grand and find a good lens for less than that. But you WILL have to make some form of investment into equipment if portraiture is what you want to do. It WILL NOT work with kit, and/or entry level stuff. People do use it, and their work sucks because of it. I'll get downranked, but I don't care. The truth is painful sometimes. Next, learn how to light your subject. That's a little more complicated to explain, but you can find books on the subject. Lighting and posing go hand in hand, the way you pose your subject will dictate how you should light them, along with how you compose them within the frame, as well as what other elements you allow to be in the frame. This you'll need to learn the principle of, as well as become experienced in doing through practice. That is a start.

.... giving a standing ovation to the answer from Mixed Mojo.... Hope you take it to heart. steve

MixedMojo is the man on this one!!! Where to start: PUrchase a GOOD DSLR and a GOOD speedlight. Then put the speedlight away. Learn how to manipulate ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture. Then take the speedlight out and re-learn them-flash changes everything. After that you will need to purchase a GOOD lens because the ones that come with DSLR's now aren't so hot at all. You'll get the idea after you learn to manipulate ISO, Shutter and Aperture properly. You will also need a good set of strobes for portrait photography. Don't purchase them until you know what you are doing with ISO, Shutter and aperture!! You will discover that you purchased something you don't want, need or use and wasted your money! In the mean time? Start studying composition and the 40 rules of portraiture for starters! Good luck and have fun doing it!

There are no "best" filters. There may be some good ones or useful ones. It depends on what effect you want. "Soft focus" filters were popular in the 70's and 80's. They are pretty cheesy and dated nowadays, but they were all the rage back then. People who shoot black and white film may have used yellow or mild green filters to smooth out skin (as well as to give more accurate tone in their non-portrait photos). I don't think people use filters much anymore unless they are going for some sort of effect. But I could be wrong. An external flash is good (one with bounce/swivel head). An off camera flash cord may also be a good thing. A reflector is another (one with both a gold and silver side is good). You may also find a tripod and shutter release cable handy, depending on the circumstances. I would recommend getting a book on portrait photography. That will provide more info than we could possibly type here on Y!A