Digital Photographer - USA (2019-07)

Usenaturallightindoors

forachange

Work with

windows

Ofcoursenaturallightisnotconfinedtothe

outdoors,evenindoorsnaturallightplays

arerollinportraitswhereweuseitthrough

windowsorskylightstoilluminateoursubject.

Andjustlikethesunoutdoors,windowlight

cantakedifferentforms,fromhardandbright

tosoftanddiffused.Itisthereforeimportant

tounderstandhowthelightisaffectingthe

imageandhowyouwanttomanipulateitto

createtheeffectyoudesire.

Oftenindoorlocationsthatlookwelllitcan

bepooratcreatingportraitswhereoverhead

downlightersorartificiallightaffectstheface

more,creatingunwanteddropshadows,or

mixingpoorlyincolourtonewiththenatural

lightfromoutside.Learningtomanipulateand

usewindowlightorkeepitoutofyourimage

helpsyoutobeabletoworkinanylocation

andanylightconditions.

Generallyspeaking,ifthelightoutsideis

harsh,thereisgoingtobelargeexposure

differencebetweeninsideintheshadeand

thewindow,whichmayalsocreatehotspots

oflightonthefloororwalls.Inthissituation,

especiallywherelightisflowingintotheimage

directlyItendtokeepmysubjectawayfrom

thewindowandhardlight.

Wherethelightismorediffusedornot

directlystreaminginIcancreatebalance

moreeasilyandsowillutilisethelighteither

onitsown,orbycombiningitwithflashor

lightfromareflector.Whenplacingmysubject

adjacenttothewindowthereisachoiceof

creatinganexposurefortheoutsideandthen

addinglighttothesubjectorinsidetoeven

thisout,oroverexposingthebackgroundand

liftingtheinsideshadowsmoresubtly.This

decisiondependsontheframingandhow

thesunlightorviewplaysapartintheimage.

Generallyspeaking,Itendtofacethesubject

eitherallorpartiallytowardsthedirectionof

thenaturallight,sothattheadditionofflash

ismorenaturalandseamless.Whenscouting

outalocation,Itendtofirstlylookatwhat

thenaturallightisdoingandwhereitisfalling

beforedecidingwheretoplacemysubject.

Above
Hardwindowlight
Windowlightisusedasa
hairlight,andaforward
lightisadded,keeping
italowerintensitythan
thenaturallightmakesit
morebelievable

Above

Window

lightblended

here natural light from

a skylight and window

creates soft light which

is boosted by a large soft

box and flash

Techniques

Window

Subject

Flash

(2ftolia)

Sunlight

Hardlight

Camera