Portrait Lighting Techniques That Will Help You Capture the Best Look of Your Subject

Every person wants to look best in his portraits and this is the reason why you are always hard-pressed to make your subject look great. Although professional portrait photography seems to be very simple, getting those perfect looks require some knowledge, preparation, and confidence. Here are some simple techniques that can vastly improve the quality of your portraits.

• Direct harsh light creates sharp unflattering shadows and this is the reason why you must use photography lighting equipment that diffuses the light beam and soften the shadows. Instead of positioning your lighting equipments directly towards your model, bounce it from any reflector or diffuser such as an umbrella reflector or a softbox.

• Use a three-point lighting system to give a flattering look to your model. Place your main light directly in front of the subject so that you can successfully hide the scars and other marks that the subject has on his/her face. The other two must be placed at two opposite angles from the camera. You can always replace one fill light with a reflector and use a backlight if required.

• Even the finest photographers prefer continuous studio lighting for shooting portraits. This is because; this form of lighting can give you an idea about the final results that you will be getting. Flash photography however, doesn't give you this flexibility and is therefore, usually not recommended for shooting portraits.

• Position your light modifier as close to your subject as possible without including it in your frame. This is because; the closer it is the better will be the illumination.

• To give a life to your subject's hairs, elevate your photography lighting equipment that you will be using at the back. This light is very often referred as hair lights.

• Plan your background carefully depending on the theme of your picture. If you are portraying a newlywed, a marble-colored backdrop would certainly look elegant but if you are portraying a man with a big tattoo, this backdrop will take away the beauty of the tattoo. For this, you should use a black backdrop.

• If you are shooting fashion photographs, never position your subject's head opposite to that of his/her body. This will give a flattering look to your subject.

• Since the face of your subject should be the main focus, try various continuous studio lighting techniques to give them sharp looks. For example; if your subject has a big nose, make him raise his chin slightly and point his nose directly towards the camera.

• Lighting is the essence of photography. Play with it creatively to click breathtaking portraits.