Want your subject to shine, and your background to fade into the shadows? Make it happen by positioning your subject in a brighter patch of light and exposing for his or her skin. This portrait was taken while I was waiting to photograph a prom in an abbey. The room we were in was pleasant enough. However, as a portrait photographer I want your eyes to be drawn straight to my subject’s face, not what’s behind them. Lighting their face …
If it’s hot outside, here’s a newborn portrait that you can replicate. Everything is a potential source of inspiration: this one was inspired by a 1980s poster. It’s a rare day that photographers in the UK can shoot a nude newborn outdoors – the weather just isn’t warm enough most of the time. If you’re lucky enough to time a newborn shoot with that one balmy summer day we get, or if you live in more exotic climes, here’s a …
Sometimes the best light is from an unexpected source: find out how I used the white wall of a house near my studio as a giant reflector for this portrait. I frequently use reflectors in my work to soften shadows and bounce light back on to my subject’s face. The bigger the reflector, the better, as a broader light source is softer and more natural-looking (you also don’t have to watch out for the edge of the reflector’s bounced light). …
Entry- and enthusiast-level DSLRs usually include an on-camera flash which pops up on demand or when using auto mode and shooting in low light conditions. Out of necessity, the flash is physically positioned only a few centimetres away from the lens, which causes a few problems, including ‘red eye’ and harsh, flat lighting. The flash emitted typically overpowers the ambient light, resulting in your subject looking like a rabbit caught in a car’s headlights. In addition, any reflective surfaces in …