Portrait Photography
Tips for Using Window Lighting
Some of the most stunning portrait photography utilizes the soft, natural glow of window lighting.
Soft Window Light
A Dutch Master painter - Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn - became famous for his use of soft window lighting. In fact, photography books referring to Rembrandt lighting describe natural light entering though a window that produces soft yet broad illumination lighting one side of the subject, leaving the other in shadow. However, this natural light used by both painters and photographers is never direct sunlight. Typically, light from the north is preferred. This type of illumination produces a beautiful yet mysterious look to any portrait that makes a photograph uniquely intriguing. Since north light is not as strong or bright as direct sunlight, photographers seeking to take advantage of the soft properties it produces need to do a little manipulation following these several tips.
1. Use a Tripod
Since the level of light is going to be low - and you do not want to use fill-in flash - shutter speed choices are going to be rather slow compelling the use of a tripod. Also, the use of a cable release may be beneficial for super sharp images, because humans can only hand hold cameras with no visible shaking at 1/30 of a second.
2. Use a High ISO Setting
The default for most digital cameras when conducting outdoor photography is usually 100. This is because at this camera setting, less noise, which is visible pixels or grain, is evident on the finished product - the printed photograph. Indoors, you may want to experiment with higher ISO settings of either 400 up to 800. Always use the lowest that you can get away with to reduce noise.
3. Make Your Subject ‘Freeze'
Natural window lighting calls for slower shutter speeds. The subject photographed has to remain still at the moment of exposure. This is tough to do for even professional models let alone a couple seeking a high-quality portrait. But you can use this trick: Tell the subject to listen to you count and freeze with eyes open at the number "3." Freezing requires the subject to take a half-breath while remaining natural looking. Practice this several times looking for consecutive repetition of the right "look" before actually taking the shot.
4. Enhance Lighting Effects with Reflectors
Placing the subject at the right position to the window light can produce dramatic Rembrandt lighting effect. Use a reflector bouncing light back to the shadowed areas produce greater illumination. Vary the color for the reflector, for example, use of a gold reflector will add "summer-like" warmth to the subject and is especially pleasing when photographing women and children. Gain full lighting control over the subject photographed employing more than one reflector. Vary the size for specific effect. For example, use a two-foot wide reflector for faces only. Use a 4' X 6', or larger reflector to produce full body illumination
5. Try Various Filters
There are a number of center spot filter adapters to place on a lens to create stunning or unusual visual effects when shooting using window light. Using a filter to blur areas or edges around the main subject can produce a dream -like effect. Another trick is to take a clear UV filter and gently smear some Vaseline on the lens edges leaving the center clear. Shooting through it will produce an attractive, soft blurred vignette around the subject.
Related Posts
* Portrait Photo Tips
* Portrait Lighting
* Portrait Poses
* Portrait Backrops
* Portrait Backgrounds
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