Ah, window light. I'm a big fan, as anyone who spends much time with my photos can tell.Why? Because typically it offers the best kind of lighting for portraits: soft and directional, creating that Vermeer-like quality in an image: the deep reflective eyes and warm skin tones. Lovely.
This photograph required almost no post-processing because the lighting was right where it should be, to my mind anyway, and the effect--while possible to duplicate with studio lighting--is soooo easily done without studio lighting (a big plus in my book).
The subject here is positioned close to an open window, at a little more than 90 degree angle from the light (one can experiment with that), with the light either reflected or filtered by a diffuser of some kind (here, high clouds). I also positioned a reflector at camera right, to throw a little light back on the shadowed side of the face. The idea there is to keep some detail in the shadows and prevent the contrast from becoming too sharp.
So, the challenge for the day is to attempt a portrait using window light, if you haven't yet. With low light levels, you'll likely need to either adjust the ISO to a higher setting and/or brace the camera with a tripod (ideally) or against a wall or other object (less ideal, but still works).
Happy shooting!
Flipping Beautiful Good Brother. You're amazing...I'm going to have to round you up next time I have all the kids in town and go to one of your secret shooting places I guess. You'll just have to be able to tolerate me standing 1.3 feet away and studying every move you make so i can copy it in the future! Awesome awesome awesome! What is more beautiful than children?? Answer - nothing
ReplyDeleteHey Brett: Thanks for the kind words. You can sit in on a shoot anytime, though only if you'll take me on one of your Southern Utah excursions. I suspect you could teach me a thing or two (or three or four) about those landscapes, and how to photograph them. Love the new stuff from Horseshoe canyon.
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