Capture Stunning Headshots Using Ambient Light 📸

Hey photographers, let's talk about this... [Home]( Capture Stunning Headshots Using Ambient Light 📸 Grab the [Portrait Photography Guided Resource Kit]( today to learn the secrets to creating compelling portrait images (but read the tips below first!). –– Available ambient lighting can be used to great effect when creating headshots. The key is training your mind to find and see good options for the light source, whether you're photographing indoors or outdoors. Let's look at how you can utilize available ambient lighting indoors as well as outdoors to produce great headshots. Indoor headshots One light source that’s commonly used is a window. But is using a window always the right answer? If the sun is shining directly through a window, it’s not a good choice for portrait lighting. The light will be too harsh. Also, be aware of obstructions to the light, such as window shades or tree branches; they create shadows that may not look good. This example has beautiful headshot lighting via the use of a window. But something is not working here. What’s the problem here? Background… If you’re producing headshots using available light, you must remain aware of the background. In this case, the bright white objects to camera right are very distracting. If your subject wants a plain background, carry a 30”x40” white Foamcore board and paint one side of it a mid-tone grey. You can then easily have someone hold the card behind the subject, or attach it to a light stand. [📷 23 Useful Resources on Portrait Photography? Download our complete Portrait Photography Guided Resource Kit that will help you master the art of portrait photography... ⏰Be quick — Bonus expires midnight! Download Here →]( The white side and grey side of the card will give you options for background contrast depending on the lighting, hair, and clothing color. Simply slide the card in behind the subject’s head. Alright… so windows are a pretty obvious option. Where else might you find great light for a headshot? How about in a doorway? In a barn? Under a patio? Under a tree? Next to a building? Outdoor headshots Take a look at the lighting in this awesome headshot. The lighting here was nothing more than a bright overcast sky. The photographer utilized two tricks. He put a small reflector below the subject’s face to bounce light back up into it. This opened up the eyes and kept the image from looking too lit from above. The second thing he did was place her next to a dark wall. The wall absorbed the overhead light and created shadowing on her face. This gave the subject a 4:1 ratio lighting scheme. [Learn the Secrets to Creating Stunning Portraits? Check out our Portrait Photography Guided Resource Kit for 23 power-packed resources to jumpstart your portrait photography skills. There's a daily bonus too! ⏰ Grab it Here →]( So, what kind of light are we looking for outdoors headshots? Indirect light - Shade with a bright open area nearby. Don’t use deep shade with no directional light. - Direct sunlight that has been blocked or diffused. Make sure that the sunlight is completely blocked or diffused. You don’t want dappled light that creates uneven lighting on the face. - Structures that provide a doorway, arch, pillar or overhang- anything that helps break up strong directional sunlight. Natural reflectors - Look for light colored walls (or other objects) that can help reflect light back onto the face of your subject. - Look for dark colored walls that can subtract light and provide contouring to the subject’s face. Bring stuff with you - White Foamcore boards are easy to transport and work really well as reflectors. The downside to outdoor use is that they can be difficult to handle in wind. - Bring a portable flash unit. The next time you're photographing portraits, pay attention to the light source and see how you can get the most out of it by utilizing some of the above mentioned points. BONUS: I've got something special for you on the next page... If you’d like to dive deeper into creating amazing portraits, take a look at our [Portrait Photography Guided Resource Kit]( that contains everything you need to get going – consisting of printable cheat sheets, video tutorials, quick guides, case studies, exercises and assignments plus a lot more. If you missed out on your set last time, it's available again, and on sale right now. Plus it includes a daily bonus for free. Click below now, to learn more about it on the next page… [→ NEXT PAGE]( [Continue to next page »]( Keep that creative fire burning 🔥 Cheers, Brett   P.S – Want more quick photography tips, for free? Head over to our friend's website- [DailyPhotoTips.com]( now.       [ Want a quick way to learn the basics of photography? Grab our best-selling collection of cheat sheets: [The Snap Cards]( If you missed out on your set last time, they’re available again and on-sale right now. 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