So, I had this urge the other day, you know? Just wanted to get out and shoot some portraits, but without all the fuss. Been wrestling with strobes and reflectors and all that malarkey, and sometimes, you just want to keep it simple. Natural light, right? It’s always there, doesn’t cost a penny, and frankly, it often looks better if you know what you’re doing. Or even if you’re just winging it, like I do half the time.
Getting Started – Or Rather, Not Overthinking It
First thing I did? Absolutely nothing complicated. I just thought, “Okay, who can I drag into this?” My friend Lucy is usually up for being a guinea pig, so I gave her a shout. We didn’t plan much. No fancy locations, no stylists, none of that. We just decided to use her garden. It’s got a few nice spots – some old brick, a bit of greenery. Good enough for me.
The main thing I was looking for was soft light. Direct sun is a nightmare for portraits, makes people squint and gives you harsh shadows. No thanks. We aimed for late afternoon, when the sun starts to get a bit lower and kinder. Golden hour, they call it, though I’m not always that patient to wait for the perfect moment. Good enough is often, well, good enough.
The Actual Fumbling About With The Camera
So there we were, in the garden. I had my camera, just a standard DSLR, and I slapped on my 50mm lens. Love that thing for portraits. Makes the background all blurry and nice.
I basically just walked around with Lucy, looking for patches of good light. Found a spot under a big tree that gave this lovely, dappled shade. Perfect. I got her to stand sort of at the edge of the shade, so her face was lit up but not blasted by the sun.
- Moved her around a LOT. “Turn your head a bit.” “Look over there.” “Try not to look like I’m boring you to death.” Standard stuff.
- Kept an eye on her eyes. You want that little glint of light, the catchlight. Makes a huge difference. Without it, eyes can look a bit dead.
- We also tried a few shots near a big window in her kitchen. Window light is magic, honestly. So soft and flattering. Just had her face the window, or stand side-on to it.
The thing with natural light is, it changes. Clouds roll in, sun moves. So you gotta be quick, or at least aware. We weren’t exactly rushing, but I was definitely paying attention to how the light was shifting. Sometimes it’s a pain, sometimes it gives you something unexpected and cool.
So, What’s The Big Deal With Natural Light?
Look, I’m not saying flashes and studio lights are bad. They’ve got their place. But for me, especially when I just want to create something without a massive setup, natural light is king. It’s like, the path of least resistance to a decent photo.
Why do I bang on about it? Well, I remember years ago, I bought all this fancy lighting gear. Softboxes, umbrellas, triggers, the whole nine yards. Spent a fortune. And you know what? I spent more time fiddling with the gear, trying to get it to work, than actually taking photos. Drove me mad. Half the time the batteries were dead, or something wouldn’t sync. It was just a headache.
Then one day, I just left it all in the bag and went out with just my camera. And it was like a breath of fresh air. Suddenly, I was looking at the light, not the gear. And my photos got better. Funny that, eh?
So yeah, that’s my little session with natural light. Got some shots I’m pretty happy with. Lucy didn’t complain too much. And I didn’t have to untangle a single cable. Win-win, I’d say.
