Lighting with purpose: professional techniques for portrait photographers

Location portraiture offers many advantages. The backgrounds are varied, the surroundings can tell a story about the client, and the setting can help tell the subject’s story. Working on location presents unique challenges, however. Often, the photographer is working in an unfamiliar place in which the lighting is not ideal for portraiture. Light is the very backbone of a good portrait, so the need to manage and modify the light becomes a top priority in the portrait session. The Dachowskis teach you how to harness the light in any scenario—from direct sun, to window light, to fluorescent light, to household lamp light, and even mixed-lighting scenarios—to create correct exposures and believable image color. You’ll learn to restrict and enhance the light, add dramatic highlights and shadows to create dimension, and set the mood in the portrait. With these tips, you’ll learn to handle location portrait challenges with ease and confidence.