Portrait Lighting 101

Believe it or not, portrait lighting is tricky business and takes photography skills and years of practice to master. That being said, portrait photography is one of the easiest ways to practice to gain those lighting skills. Since portraits are posed there is time for lighting adjustments during the shoot and you are able to experiment with different lighting to find what provides the best photographic results. The following tips will help you in your quest for knowledge of portrait lighting and are especially helpful if you are considering a home studio.

Bright lights provide enough illumination to expose your photo, but they are harsh and not the most flattering lighting for portrait photography.  To achieve more natural results soft lighting should be used when shooting a portrait.  Soft lighting can be achieved in several ways - shade or an overcast day or umbrella reflectors in the studio.  Reflectors are inexpensively priced and should be included in any home photography studio.  Soft lighting will complement and flatter your subject, reducing any perceived “flaws” and it is also easier to work with.

Portrait lighting just needs to come from two lights.  One light determines the tone and direction of the lighting and the second light can be placed near the camera to offset the illumination from the first light.  Having two lights in this configuration softens any harsh shadows and helps to even out contrast.  You can also achieve the same lighting effect if you place one light above the camera and one reflector below the camera.  You can achieve great results with minimal lighting equipment.

If professional lighting seems out of your reach financially, you can improvise with what you already have. There are lots of things you can use so just conduct some of your own photo experiments and see what works best. You will be pleased with the near professional results you can achieve by moving desk or floor lamps around. Consider hanging sheets around the room to reflect light. Look around your house with an imaginative eye and you may be surprised at all the possibilities before you that would make excellent lighting equipment for your home studio.

Natural light is a great option for getting beautiful results with portrait photography. If you only think of artificial studio lights when you are considering portrait photography, you will be amazed at your portrait photography results when using natural light. Knowing how and when to use natural light is the trick. A large window in your home is a great source of soft light for your shoot. Venturing outdoors gives you a different perspective than studio lighting. You can control and reflect light by using a large piece of construction Styrofoam. Reflecting natural light helps minimize harsh shadows.

Successful portrait photography requires practice and patience. And, you can achieve great results without sinking a lot of money into professional equipment. Use your imagination and creativity for materials and subjects and you will be pleased with what you can accomplish. Portrait lighting may be subtle, but your finished portrait will look stunning framed on the wall.