"

Using Natural Light

Natural light can create beautiful and flattering portraits. It’s versatile, readily available, and can produce a range of moods depending on its quality and direction.

Tips for Using Natural Light

Natural light streaming through a window provides soft, even illumination, making it an excellent choice for portraiture. This setup creates a natural and flattering look, with gentle highlights and shadows that add depth and dimension to the subject. Image by ArturGórecki from Pixabay CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution Non Commercial ShareAlike)
  • Window Light: Position your subject near a window to use soft, diffused light. Experiment with different angles and distances to see how the light shapes your subject’s face.
  • Outdoor Light: Early morning or late afternoon (golden hour) provides the best natural light for portraits. Use a portable reflector to bounce light onto your subject and reduce harsh shadows.

Exercise: Using Natural Light and Reflectors

  • Objective: Practice using natural light and reflectors to illuminate your subject.
  • Steps:
    • Find a location with good natural light, such as a window or an outdoor setting.
    • Position your subject near the light source.
    • Use a reflector to fill in shadows and balance the light on your subject’s face.
    • Experiment with different reflector angles and positions. Most reflectors have a white side, a silver side, and a golden side. Each of these is meant to reflect light in a different way. The white side is for diffuse light, the silver side is for a more dramatic spotlight, and the gold side is for warm light, such as the type of light at a sunset.

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Learning Digital Photography Copyright © by Eric Demattos is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book