Portrait Lighting:
By: Autumn Lockwood
Although portrait photography may seem simple to most, it is actually one of the trickiest photographic skills and takes years to master. On the plus side, because of the posed and scheduled nature of portrait photography, it is also one of the easiest ones to practice. If you’re considering starting a studio in your garage or living room, here are a few handy tips to keep in mind before you call your subject in for the shoot.
Get Creative with What You Have
If you don t have money to spend on a professional light setup, you can often get near professional results by using a few desk or floor lights. You can also often use inexpensive construction lamps that are super inexpensive and can work quite well. If you want even more control, try using bed sheets to reflect the light around the room. Look around your house for possible lighting equipment and you may find some unique opportunities to use for your portraits.
Light Setup
Two lights should be sufficient for portrait lighting. Use one main light to determine the tone and direction of your light, then offset it with a second light placed near the camera. This will help to soften any harsh shadows and even out the strong contrast. Another way you can get this effect is by placing a light above the camera and one fill reflector below the camera. Both of these options will give you good quality results without special equipment.
Brighter Lights Aren't Always Better
Harsh, bright lights will definitely give you lots of illumination and make photographing your subject super simple. However, harsh bright lights are rarely flattering and should be avoided especially if you want natural results. The best lighting for portrait lighting is soft light. You can get this quality of light in the shade, on overcast days or by using photo umbrella reflectors in the studio. Using soft, even light will be easier to work with and will help to highlight your subject nicely.
Always Use the Sun
We often associate portrait photography with studio photography, but the truth is that the two are not codependent. You can get incredible results using natural light if you know how to properly use it. For instance, if you have a large window in your house, use it as a natural source of soft light. If you’re shooting outside, one of those big sheets of construction Styrofoam can work as a great reflector, just point it at your subject and it will help minimize harsh shadows.
Just like any other type of photography, portrait photography requires lots of practice, patience and a whole lot of love. What it doesn’t require is a whole lot of professional equipment or a big investment to spend on specialized photography equipment. Be creative with your materials and subjects and you’ll be surprised at how great the results can be. Portrait lighting is all about subtlety but that doesn't mean that it s not a lot of fun!
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Author Resource:-> Autumn Lockwood is a writer for http://www.yourpictureframes.com/. See our selection of jeweled frames: http://www.yourpictureframes.com/categories/Jeweled-Picture-Frames/ and lovely flower frames: http://www.yourpictureframes.com/categories/Flower-Picture-Frames/. Go online or call 800-780-0699.
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