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How many lights does it take to create a great, pro quality image? In my early career, my answer was “as many as I can get.” But over time, I learned that some of the most beautiful portraits are captured using simple setups. No need for multiple lights, sets, and gear to get gorgeous results. In this video, I’ll walk through an easy one light portrait setup for photographing professional level headshots.
Video: Easiest One Light Portrait Setup for Professional Headshots
Let’s jump right into it. For this one light portrait setup, you’ll need a flash and a camera with a portrait lens. Here’s my setup for today’s photoshoot:
Keep in mind that this one light portrait setup setup can work with practically any light and camera setup, so remember to not let cost be a barrier.
The guest of honor today is my friend Kiara and you can check out her Instagram here.
Step #1: Composition & Ambient Light
I like my headshots with a simple background, so I placed Kiara in front of this dark wall. This way, the focus of the image is directly on your subject.
At 1/200, f/5.6, ISO 200, the image is nearly blacked out.
Now let’s dial in the ambient light settings. To achieve this one light portrait setup, I need to nix all the natural light from the window and rely on only the flash. At 1/200 sec, f/5.6, and ISO 200, we’ve practically cut out all natural light.
Step #2: Add & Modify Light
This one light portrait setup is incredibly simple. I attached an umbrella to my Profoto A1 and set the light beam to wide in order to fill the entire umbrella. This will provide the softest light possible. I raised the light as high as it can go and keeping it center, aimed it down at Kiara. This center lighting is called “Paramount / Butterfly Lighting”
Here is our first test shot. An important part of portrait photography is the catchlight in the eyes. A catchlight is the highlight reflection in the eyes that gives them that “sparkle.” To get a stronger catchlight, simply lower the light a touch.
One tip to get the maximum softness from a modifier is to measure the width of the modifier and place the subject that same distance away. For example, the umbrella is roughly 3 feet wide. Therefore, I placed Kiara approximately the same distance away.
You can also add fill light from below by placing a reflector just underneath your subject.
Step #3: Pose & Photograph
Now it’s time to photograph away! Here are some of our final shots using this one light portrait setup. Edited using VF Presets.
Conclusion
If you’re thinking that buying more lighting will automatically take your work to another level, I challenge you to take a step back and explore all of the ways you rock your next photo shoot with just one light and modifier! No more complex and expensive setups. The gear that you have and a fun subject are all you’ll need to capture incredible portraits.
For those serious and want to take the next step, check out the Flash Photography Training System at SLR Lounge Premium. There, we introduce more advanced lighting setups and styles for complex portraits, weddings, editorials, and more. Also, be sure to check out VF Presets for intuitive lighting based presets and retouching tools like we used here.
Don’t miss our next episode of Mastering Your Craft on Adorama’s YouTube channel next week! If you want to catch up on all the episodes, make sure you check out our playlist!
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Photography is all about capturing the perfect moment, but sometimes the lighting just doesn’t cooperate. When this happens, it can be frustrating to have a photo that doesn’t showcase your subject as you intended. Fortunately, with the right tools and techniques, you can fix bad lighting in a photo and bring it to life. In this article, we’ll explore how to fix bad lighting in a photo using Lightroom, one of the most powerful and popular photo editing tools available. Whether you’re a professional photographer or just starting out, these tips and tricks will help you transform your photos from dull and lifeless to vibrant and captivating.
Video: How to fix bad lighting in a photo
Bad lighting on a photo? Don’t toss it out just yet. You might still be able to bring it back alive. In this video, I’ll be walking through 9 easy steps to fix a photo with bad lighting in Adobe Lightroom Classic.
Let me preface this by saying that you should always, always, strive to get the shot right in-camera. This means taking the time to get the right settings and properly lighting your subjects. However, there are many reasons to learn editing techniques to save imperfect images. As photographers, we face countless different scenarios and it’s nearly impossible to get the perfect shot 100% of the time. Understanding what’s possible in post-production can help you still achieve a professional result nonetheless.
Before we dive in, be sure to download the exercise file here and follow along as I edit.
Getting the Image Right In-Camera
You can see how this image was shot in a previous video where I talk about why the Canon RF 28-70 f/2 is my favorite lens. Even if the conditions aren’t the best, you want to try and get the best shot that’s possible by:
Shoot in RAW format to capture as much information as possible.
Expose properly to preserve as much detail in the shadows and highlights as possible.
Work with the natural lighting.
Step #1: Raise the Exposure
The first step to fix bad lighting in a photo. is to roughly set the exposure to the subject. For imperfectly lit images such as this, it’s okay to let the background blow out. The priority is to make sure the subject is well exposed.
Step #2: Set the White Balance
Use the eyedropper to set the white balance. I selected Kiara’s shirt. Notice the green color cast from the surrounding leaves and grass still persists. We’ll fix that shortly.
Step #3: Base Tone Adjustments
The third step to fix bad lighting in a photo is to settle on your overall base tones. I used the basic tones to make subtle adjustments that brought out more detail in the highlights and shadows.
Step #4: Set the Tone Curve
The next step to fix bad lighting in a photo is to adjust the tone curve. I started off with a basic S-curve to add contrast. Then, I created a matte look by pulling the white point down and black point up.
Step #5: Color Calibration
Step 5 to fix bad lighting in a photo is color calibration. The color calibration panel is a great tool to make corrections for unwanted color casts. I focused on restoring the skin tones.
Then, I went back to fine tune the white balance to match the updated colors.
Step #6: HSL Adjustments
This is where we can continue to separate the skin tones and remove the green tint we started out with. Start with the hues and focus on the color. Then move onto saturation and luminosity.
Step #7: Split-Tones
The seventh step to fix bad lighting in a photo is to use split toning. I used the eyedropper tool to select a the shadow hue from a color already in the image. I did the same for the mid-tones and highlights to bring out the skin tones even more.
Step #8: Tweak Your Adjustments
Go ahead and make your final tone adjustments here. I tweaked the basic adjustments to add a touch more contrast. However, fixing the bad lighting will be different depending on the lighting issue.
Step #9: Local Adjustments
Lastly, I added a subtle radial filter from the Visual Flow Retouching Toolkit. This adds a subtle vignette around your subject.
The Final Image
Let’s see the final image compared to where we first began. The difference is huge!
We’re going to cover the difference between direct flash vs. bounce flash and give you an easy secret to creating soft, flattering light anywhere you go.
Creating a home portrait studio doesn’t require an elaborate setup or a massive budget. Whether you’re converting a spare room, clearing space in your garage, or finding a nook in your living room, there are affordable ways to transform any area into a versatile photography studio. In this guide, we’ll explore tips for building a budget-friendly home studio, from selecting simple lighting setups to creative backgrounds, and we’ll cover how to make the most of smaller spaces. With some creativity and a few affordable tools, you can capture stunning portraits right from your home. In this article, we’ll explore simple lighting setups:
Video 1 – How to Create a Home Portrait Studio for Under $20
Step 1. Find a Door
People often come up with excuses about things they don’t have that they need to get the shot, but it should be pretty easy to “knock” out this first step. Simply put: find a door. Any door in your home portrait studio should work, especially if it leads outside. We’re going to open the door and use the incoming light to create a nice, flat light pattern on our subjects.
Step 2. Get a Background
Inside of every 5-in-1 reflector, you’ll find a scrim. Grab that scrim and take it out. If you don’t already have a $20 reflector, now’s the time to buy one. It’s a useful tool and you should have one. If you’d rather not spend any money, then you can always use a bed sheet (white, black, etc.).
Either way, you’ll need to hang your scrim (or sheet or whatever) near the doorway. For this exercise, I used a chair to hold up the scrim. You can use an A-Clamp (or something similar) from Home Depot to adjust the height and hold it in place. Viola! You have a background.
Step 3. Face Your Subject Toward the Open Door
The subject is positioned to face the light (see the clamp used to hold the scrim to the back of the chair)
Facing your subject toward the open door will allow a nice, flat light to fall on your subject.
Step 4. Dial In Your Exposure Settings
Once your subject is in place, dial in your exposure settings. For this shot, I’m using the Canon EOS-R with a 50mm f/1.2 RF lens. However, any 50mm prime lens on pretty much any camera should yield similar results. If you don’t have a dedicated camera, we’ll go over how to do this with your phone as well.
Assuming you do have a camera and a prime lens, I would recommend shooting this with a wide-open aperture, ideally somewhere between f/1.2 to f/2.8.
Step 5. Shoot on Your Phone if Necessary
Most phones should work, and if your phone camera features portrait mode, even better – turn it on. All that’s left, really, is to zoom in and snap away.
If you look at the images above, it’s probably hard to tell which one was shot with a phone and which was shot using a dedicated camera. Most people will not recognize the difference between the images. In other words, use whatever camera you have to get the shot.
Step 5. Edit the Photo
Video 2 – Create a Home Photography Studio With Window Lighting
In this video, we’re here to show you how to create a $20 photography studio that you can use anywhere, and the best part is, you won’t need to go out an purchase new camera gear. In fact, you can even use your smartphone camera to produce quality portraits with an affordable, portable setup.
Step 1: Turn Off the Ambient Light in the Room
We began by placing our subject in front of the window with the curtains open and the room lights were on (see the diagram and image above). The lighting from inside and outside the room combined to create mixed lighting, which we want to avoid. To correct this, simply turn off the lights in the room.
Step 2: Close Down the Curtains
After we turn of the room lights, we need to minimize the light coming in through the window(s). To be clear, we still want to place our subject in front of the window and use window light, but we don’t want too much light pouring in. By adjusting the curtains, we can create a strip box of sorts, leaving only as much light as we need to get the shot.
Step 3: Use Sheer Curtains (If Possible)
If you have sheer curtains, now’s the time to use them to further soften the light coming through the window. If you don’t have them, you can always use a white bed sheet to create a similar effect.
Before and after reducing ambient exposure.
By closing down the curtains, using sheer curtains when possible, and lowering your ambient exposure, you’ll allow less (and softer) light to fill the room. As a result, the walls in the background will get darker, regardless of what color they are. The darker backdrop will then render a rich tone that we wouldn’t get with a brighter exposure or highlights (see the image above).
Step 4: Choose Your Background
I found an affordable, hand-painted backdrop online from @backdropsbyethanalex and placed it directly behind my subject. Really, you can use anything as your backdrop: a black cloth, a piece of fabric, or even a studio backdrop.
Step 5: Add a Fill Light
I noticed that half of my subject’s face was getting lost in the shadows, so I brought in a reflector (a white poster board) to bounce light back onto my subject and fill in the shadows a bit. You might not have a C-stand at home to hold up your backdrops and reflectors, so grab a chair or employ a family member or friend to hold up the backdrop or reflector while you capture your shot.
Where you place the reflector will control the type of light you have. If you want to use the reflector to create more of an edge light, place it slightly behind your subject and angle it towards him/her. If you want to fill in more of the shadows on the face, position the reflector towards the front of the subject and angle it slightly back towards him/her.
If you compare the starting image to our properly lit portrait, you can already see much improvement. However, we can take it even further with our edit.
Step 6: Edit The Photo
Adjustments for the “Selective” Radial Filter
Walk-up shot (left), final image un-edited (center), final image edited (right)
Video 3 – Turn Your Garage Into a Professional Home Portrait Studio
Learn how to capture great portraits without the hassle of lighting equipment. In this video, I’ll be walking through how to turn your garage into a professional home portrait studio!
In a previous video, I demonstrated how to capture dramatic portraits in a garage by controlling the existing light. This time around, we’ll be capturing traditional style portraits by opening up the garage and creating a large soft light source for our home portrait studio. On top of that, you can create this look with any camera. I’ll be using a Canon EOS R5 with an RF 70-200mm f/2.8L as well as my iPhone.
Before we dive into the steps, head over to Instagram and give Kiara, our model today, a follow!
Step #1: Find the Right Time of Day
Our home portrait studio needs a large and soft light source. To do this, we’ll have to avoid harsh sunlight. Pay attention to where the sun is at what time of day. Schedule the shoot for when the sun isn’t directly shining into the garage or when the sky is overcast.
Step #2: Place Your Background
Place any background of your choosing about 10-15 feet deep into the garage. For this tutorial, I’m using handmade backdrops by Ethan Alex.
In just a little bit, I’ll show you how to change background exposure using subject placement.
Step #3: Choose Your Subject’s Outfit
Since we’re working with an earth-tone background for our home portrait studio, I had Kiara dress in a dark outfit with similar hues.
Step #4: Place Your Subject
This is where your subject’s distance from the light source will make a big difference. When Kiara is further from the light source, the light will fall more evenly on her and the background. However, when we bring Kiara closer to the garage opening, she’ll be more brightly lit. Then, once adjusting the exposure, the background darkens significantly.
The further the subject is from the light, the more even the light.
Placing the subject closer to the light allows us to darken the background.
By simply moving our subject closer and further from the light source, we can adjust how bright or dark the background is.
Step #5: Modify the Light
A bonus tip for adding drama to the scene in your home portrait studio is to add negative fill on both sides of your subject. I’m using V-Flats from V-Flat World to block out any light on either side of Kiara.
I hope you enjoyed this article/video. Great natural light is everywhere and with just a few basic tools, you can quickly be on your way to taking great photos your home portrait studio! For full courses on photography topics such as Lighting with Flash and Lightroom editing, check out SLR Lounge’s Premium Library. For powerful and intuitive presets for any lighting condition, visit VF Presets.
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Here are 6 easy tips to help you elevate your candid family photos. Create a relaxed and fun environment, so you can capture genuine smiles, laughter, and connections that make your family special.
Did you know that we can use the sun as a harsh, directional light, the same way we would use a flash, to create a dramatic image? While many photographers tend to shy away from using hard light in natural light portraits, you can use it to dramatic effect to shape your subject’s body. Here’s the best part: It doesn’t matter what gear you’re using to capture the shot, whether it be a professional rig or an iPhone. The key to pulling this off has more to do with how you position and pose your subjects.
Follow these natural light portrait tips to use hard light to shape the body with an example from our new Engagement Photography 101 course, which we designed to guide you from communication to capture to create stunning engagement photography using the gear you already have.
Video: Natural Light Portrait Tips | Use Hard Light to Shape the Body
Natural Light Portrait Tip #1: Compose the Image
Because we’re using the sun as a directional light in our natural light portrait, your composition will depend in part on the sun’s location in the sky and how it affects the light falling on your subjects. In this scene, the sun was still a couple hours from setting, so its position allowed me to use the ocean as a backdrop for the light direction I wanted.
I chose a wide angle 24mm lens to include more of the ocean and rocks in the frame, but you can really use whichever focal length that best suits your needs. To minimize the effects of lens distortion associated with capturing portraits on a wide angle lens, it helps to place the subjects toward the center of the frame. The distortion becomes more obvious the closer the distance between the camera and the subjects.
Natural Light Portrait Tip #2: Dial in Ambient Exposure
As I mentioned before, you can use whatever gear you have to capture natural light portraits, but you’ll still need to use your tools you have available to dial in ambient exposure. For this shot, we opted for a wide aperture (f/1.4) and shallow depth of field to create a bit of separation between our subjects and the background, and this required a faster shutter speed (1/8000) and low ISO (100). The goal is to create a dramatic natural light portrait using hard light, so the ambient exposure leans toward the left side of the histogram while still trying to maximize dynamic range.
Natural Light Portrait Tip #3: Position Your Subjects
Subjects are positioned so that the natural light falling creates a Rembrandt pattern on the subject in front
Positioning your subjects ties into both your composition (step 1) as well as how you’re going to pose your subjects (step 4), and it holds the key for making this shot work. You want to position your subjects in a way that allows you to make the available natural light work for you while also capturing the scene, or at least as much of the backdrop as you want to reveal. In this particular scene, I positioned the female subject in front of the male subject to prevent her from falling into the male’s shadow, which would’ve happened if he stood at her side, between her position and the sun.
Natural Light Portrait Tip #4: Direct Your Subjects into a Pose
How you pose your subjects will determine your level of success for using hard light to shape the body in your portraits. All of your knowledge of foundational posing will come into play here, as well as light patterns. After moving the subjects into position (in a combination open and stacked pose), I asked the female subject to turn her face slightly toward the sun, which created nice Rembrandt lighting on her face. As hand position is also important, I asked her to hold her dress with her left hand and reach back with the other hand to hold the male subject’s hand. I then asked the male subject to step slightly to his right to reduce the overlap between the subjects. Finally, I directed his gaze to create an “x” pattern between the eye direction of the two subjects, and we were ready to capture the image.
To make the image more dynamic, I just needed to wait for the right moment with the crashing waves in the background so that I could capture the shot. You can continue to refine the pose and direct for multiple expressions once you’ve gotten the shot you’re after.
Conclusion
I hope you found these natural light portrait tips on using hard light to shape the body helpful. This technique proves that you don’t have to use flash to capture dramatically lit images. If you’re interested in learning more about how to photograph couples, don’t miss our Engagement Photography 101 workshop, which is available for purchase now.
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