For excellent indoor portrait photography, our Tip # 7 to look DAMN good is to cozy up to a window! Window lighting can make a world of difference for portrait photography, and just having a hint of a window in the background really adds a nice appeal to your photo.
Window lighting offers “softer” and more natural-looking light. At Kelly Weaver Photography’s studio, this is the type of lighting we use the most. Our fun nickname for it is “God’s light” because it really is the best light ever! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done professional portrait photography shots in hotel lobbies when I’m traveling, and my clients are always amazed at what can be captured in a lobby of all places! This is because we find the perfect window to pose next to and we use morning light, which is the softest lighting to work with. No artificial lighting comes close to natural window light in our opinion.
When selecting which window to use, the one we prefer is a north-facing window. My clients always have fun posing next to windows because they also feel light and bright with the soft lighting casting on their faces.
As you can see in the before-and-after photos below, there really is a significant difference between the “in-studio” portrait photography, which uses studio lighting and a muslin backdrop and the after photos our studio captured. In the “after” photos, we worked with north-facing window light with a warmer, more comfortable background.
As you can see in the “after” portrait photography, the window lighting option really makes our clients look radiant and really helps to capture their authentic selves. Not only that, but also the out-of-focus backgrounds add a great depth and contrast to the soft window lighting.
So the next time you are looking to update your portrait photography, consider softer window lighting. Contact Kelly Weaver Photography to schedule your session today!