Fundamentals : Soft Lighting In Portrait Photography

When you invite a client into your studio for a portrait session, clients expect to walk away with a photograph that is a realistic likeness free of  flaws and blemishes, of course. Taking portraits that flatter your subject generally lead to happier customers. One way to improve your chances of pleasing your customers is with soft lighting. Soft lighting is much more flattering than harsh lighting. Achieving a perfect balance between harsh lights and soft lights takes some artistic interpretation, practice and technical expertise.

Harsh lighting accentuates minute details that include scars and wrinkles in your portrait subject. It also produces more shadows around features like the chin, nose and eyes. Soft lighting tends to obscure the fine details and produce a smooth, even facial texture for your photograph.

 

 

 

In order to grasp the concept of harsh light and soft light, stop thinking about light as being bright or dim. It is really about being big or wide, and small or narrow. Simply stated, harsh light is smaller, more targeted and soft light is larger. If you are taking photos outside rather than inside in front of a photographic backdrop, consider the outdoor lighting. Full, bright sunshine is harsher than the softer light on a cloudy day. Clouds tend to spread the light-make it broader-whereas full sun without obstruction is relatively direct.

 

 

 

 

What Is The Gray Zone?

Before discussing how to create soft lighting in your studio, let’s mention another aspect of lighting effects. The term “gray zone” refers to the area between full light and full shadow. Using a hand held light source like a lamp, spotlight or flashlight, point the beam on your backdrop. You will notice that the light gradually fades into shadows. The area between the full light and the shadows is called the gray zone. You can see the band widen and become narrow by moving the light source closer to the photographic backdrop and then further away. The wider this area is, the softer the overall lighting is. When setting up your light sources, check the gray zone to determine if your light is soft enough for portrait applications.

 

 

 

Creating Soft Lighting For Portraiture

One way to get a softer light is to move the photographic light source closer to your subject. Another way to expand the light is to bounce your light off an umbrella. The reflection expands the targeted light to the full width of the photographic umbrella. You will often see this technique used in the quick studio settings in local department stores and temporary setups for the holidays.

 

 

 

 

 

Professional photographers use other equipment, such as reflectors, reflective photographic backgrounds and diffusers to produce the same effects in their studios and on location. Bouncing light off a wall instead of an umbrella can have the same softening effects.

Exceptional portraits are within your reach. Stock your studio with enough seamless background options and light sources to allow you to accommodate a variety of customers. Utilize the basics of creating soft lighting to flatter your clients. The results are sure to please.