Have you ever read the following article: 11 tips and tricks for great portraits, how to get great photos in natural light, what do you need for a good portrait photography?, but you still don’t know how to light up your portraits?Don’t worry, we know the importance of lighting in photography in general, but also the doubts that arise when lighting a portrait, a challenge that any lover of this art must face sooner or later. In this article I will gather everything you need to know to illuminate your portraits, will you register?
Before you continue reading do not be afraid of the long list of gadgets that I will detail, that is the ideal, which does not mean that to make a portrait you need all these materials, this will depend on the type of portrait you want to create, whether you are looking for a more professional or personal finish, or just the resources you have.
- ? White: gets a more natural result.
- ?Silver: the brightest result without changing the color temperature.
- ? Gold: Adds warmth to the skin.
- ?Black: Not reflecting light increases shadows and improves contrast.
- You can also use it as a background.
There is also option five in one. Here’s an example
For the outdoors, you also have natural reflectors, such as sand, snow or water.
A tip to save you some money: read this wonderful article by my colleague Iaio, DIY Photography: how to assemble photo accessories for the home and you will learn how to make your own accessories for very little money.
I have talked about soft light and hard light, but in case you are not sure what the difference is, hard light is one that causes high contrasts and well-defined shadows, giving more drama to the scene. It is made with a more direct light source, it can be a natural or artificial source, but the smaller and more direct it is, the more dramatic the effect will be. Outside, it will have a hard light around noon.
Soft light, on the other hand, produces much softer shadows. It is made of diffusers and reflectors that diffuse the light so that it does not affect as directly as in the previous case. If you are outdoors, you will get a softer light in the first and last hours of the day.
In this article, Mario explains in detail what they are and how to get them. I will only insist on the strong emotional charge that these two types of portraits carry and the feelings they convey. While high-definition portraits are much more positive and joyful, with low-profile portraits you can convey mystery, intrigue, and even emotions related to sadness. Do you see the difference between the two images below?
There are five basic types of lighting in the portraits, let’s take a look at them one by one and how to get them.
To achieve this effect, you must place the flash at a 45-degree angle with the camera, and on the opposite side you can place a reflector.
If you look at the light, you can guess that the source is 45 degrees, both vertically and horizontally, from the camera.
These are the five most well-known or used patterns, but you are the creative, you can play with the light however you want to achieve your own results. Test, move the model, light, experiment with natural light and artificial light, learn tricks and mistakes. There is nothing better to learn from these, as they will remember best and learn first.
I leave you the link to other articles you should read
You could say that here you have the resources to start practicing, but there is something more important than knowing all these tips or techniques, and it is knowing what you want to highlight about your subject, what you want to tell us about their personality. , and that’s not why it’s only good to know what I told you in this post, here comes your own creativity, the gift of photographer inside you. Look, decide what you mean and finally apply your knowledge so that they are at your service, not you at your service.
I hope this article has helped you and you are eager to share it with your friends while practicing. Thank you for reading and see you next time!