Tips To Improve Your Natural Light Portraits

Tips To Improve Your Natural Light Portraits | Photography Course in Kolkata

Because many portrait enthusiasts rely solely on natural light, natural light portrait tips are likely the most sought-after tips in portraiture. At the very least, in the beginning. 

I’m occasionally asked a variation of the question, “What’s the most important thing I can do to improve my photography?” Depending on who asks, I may give slightly different answers, but the most common one is: “Don’t let the gear get in the way of the shot.”

This philosophy informs my preference for natural light portraiture. 

Natural light photographers are frequently accused of relying on natural light because they don’t know how to use speed lights or strobes properly — a charge that, in my experience, is frequently unfounded. 

A good portrait is not determined by the type of lighting used; rather, it is determined by how effectively you use the lighting type of your choice. 

So, if natural light is your preference (or you believe it could be) and you’ve been working on improving your craft, these five natural light portrait photographer tips may be useful to you.

Select the Appropriate Time of Day 

We being one of the photography institute in kolkata  using the term “right” very loosely here. There is no wrong time of day to shoot natural light portraits, but certain times are regarded as ideal by many photographers, namely the two hours of the day known as the golden hour. 

• Golden hour, which occurs approximately one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset, provides photographers with light that almost guarantees a stunning photograph. 

• So, what’s the big deal about golden hour light? It’s gentle, warm, and adaptable. It produces flattering skin tones and captivating shadows, and it can be used for backlighting, rim lighting, or side lighting.

Make the Most of Difficult Lighting 

At the best photography course in kolkata Obviously, your entire day cannot revolve around a two-hour window. At some point, you may find yourself shooting when the sun is unbearably hot. It would be useful to have a modifier on hand at times like this. 

But suppose it’s just you and your model vs. the elements. You can certainly use that harsh light to create something lovely.

• To begin, seek out some shade. It isn’t necessary for it to be a tree. It could be a building’s side, an awning, or any other structure that blocks out the sun. 
• If there isn’t anything useful nearby to provide shade, the best thing to do in harsh light is to keep the sun at your model’s back. It’s easy: have your model look down and find their shadow, then point their face in that direction. They will not be squinting because their face will be evenly lit.

Look for Eye-Catching Backgrounds/Foregrounds 

In natural light, some locations can appear rather stark. Unless you’re going for a minimalistic look, look for locations with visual interest that will complement your model. 

This could be as simple as looking for complementary colors or beautiful tones that compliment your model’s clothing style to create an overall mood (edgy, dreamy, retro, romantic), or it could be as complex as looking for a background setting that works with your model’s clothing style to create an overall mood (edgy, dreamy, retro, romantic).

Go Indoors 

Yes, you can create stunning natural light portraits indoors. 

Experiment with proximity and angle when positioning your model in front of the window. 

A smaller window lets in less light, so you’ll want to place your model closer to the window; conversely, a larger window lets in more light, so you can place your model farther away. Of course, you can adjust the distances to get the amount of shadow you want in your portraits. 

As a general rule, place your model at a 45-degree angle to the window and then make adjustments based on how dramatic you want the shadows to be.

Last Thoughts 

If there’s one thing to remember when shooting natural light portraits, it’s that your light source is fixed — there are no light stands to adjust or power settings to change. Instead, you’ll need to move your model in relation to the light, and if necessary, in relation to your model. 

In addition, embrace the shadows and use them to shape your model’s face and set the mood. 

At IIP Kolkata being the photography course in Kolkata we finally, remember to have fun. Making natural light portraits is, as I mentioned earlier, a liberating experience because the only equipment you have to deal with is the camera.