Portraits are some of the most popular photos to take, but what many people don't know when they undertake the challenge is that the field is one of the trickiest parts of photography to master.
One of the upsides to the method though is that the scheduled and posed nature allows plenty of opportunities to practice and perfect the technique.
A studio can be conveniently kept and maintained in your garage or living room, but only if you are careful with the atmosphere and setup.
Portrait photography lighting is a tricky balance of brightness, especially in a home-made studio.
Harsh, bright lights will certainly create a lot of brightness and illumination, as well as simplifying the entire photography process, but they are seldom flattering.
These types of lighting situations should be used as little as possible if you are aiming for natural results.
Soft light is often the best way to achieve desirable results, such as using shade, overcast days, or even umbrella reflectors.
Portrait lighting is easily achieved with two lights.
Portrait photography lighting is achieved with the main light (which determines the tone and direction of your light) and then the second light which is placed near the camera.
The second light is used to even out strong contrast and soften the harsh shadows that may be present.
Another way to achieve this effect is to place one light above the camera and one fill reflector below the camera.
Both options require common equipment (not pricey professional items) that will give you high quality results.
Sometimes, portrait photography is mistaken for solely studio photography, which is simply not the case.
Many professional results can be easily achieved via natural light, if you know how to use it properly.
Large windows, for example, can be used as a source of natural illumination while maintaining the air temperature and humidity levels of an indoor setting.
Outside pictures can be taken by using a white sheet of poster board (or a foam board) as a reflector.
This technique minimizes those harsh shadows that were mentioned earlier.
Portraiture requires a lot of practice and patience to truly excel at, but it doesn't require a great deal of money or professional equipment to get good at.
Being creative with your subject and materials is not only fun, but also expands your horizons in the industry and allows you to develop a special style that people will come to know you by.
Just because portrait photography lighting is subtle doesn't make it any less important or entertaining!
One of the upsides to the method though is that the scheduled and posed nature allows plenty of opportunities to practice and perfect the technique.
A studio can be conveniently kept and maintained in your garage or living room, but only if you are careful with the atmosphere and setup.
Portrait photography lighting is a tricky balance of brightness, especially in a home-made studio.
Harsh, bright lights will certainly create a lot of brightness and illumination, as well as simplifying the entire photography process, but they are seldom flattering.
These types of lighting situations should be used as little as possible if you are aiming for natural results.
Soft light is often the best way to achieve desirable results, such as using shade, overcast days, or even umbrella reflectors.
Portrait lighting is easily achieved with two lights.
Portrait photography lighting is achieved with the main light (which determines the tone and direction of your light) and then the second light which is placed near the camera.
The second light is used to even out strong contrast and soften the harsh shadows that may be present.
Another way to achieve this effect is to place one light above the camera and one fill reflector below the camera.
Both options require common equipment (not pricey professional items) that will give you high quality results.
Sometimes, portrait photography is mistaken for solely studio photography, which is simply not the case.
Many professional results can be easily achieved via natural light, if you know how to use it properly.
Large windows, for example, can be used as a source of natural illumination while maintaining the air temperature and humidity levels of an indoor setting.
Outside pictures can be taken by using a white sheet of poster board (or a foam board) as a reflector.
This technique minimizes those harsh shadows that were mentioned earlier.
Portraiture requires a lot of practice and patience to truly excel at, but it doesn't require a great deal of money or professional equipment to get good at.
Being creative with your subject and materials is not only fun, but also expands your horizons in the industry and allows you to develop a special style that people will come to know you by.
Just because portrait photography lighting is subtle doesn't make it any less important or entertaining!
SHARE
