Portrait Photography How To

Easy Tricks for UNIQUE Portraits Photos: Use Light Differently (VIDEO)

Ron Leach | Oct 19, 2022

Many photographers either ignore or struggle with portrait photography because they think sophisticated lighting equipment, advanced skills, and a well-equipped studio are an absolute necessity. We’re going to debunk that fallacy in the straightforward tutorial below.

Justin Laurens is a professional portrait photographer and a very good instructor. In this nine-minute episode he describes how he “vastly” improved his imagery by using four simple secrets that anyone employ to achieve impressive results with a minimum of gear.

If you’re frustrated with the portraits you make, Laurens’ straightforward suggestions will take your images to the next level fast. Rather than concentrating on fancy gear or advanced skills, you’ll see how to make “massive” improvements—simply by looking at light “in a whole new light” to expand and simplify your creativity.

Laurens explains how to “use light as paint” to add beautiful textures and visual interest to your photos. When shooting outdoors Laurens recommends looking for what he calls “natural light leaks.” This creative approach involves taking advantage of direct sun as it passes through holes or gaps between objects like buildings, fences, or window blinds.

You’ll also see how to use common household items like a kitchen strainer to create a light leak effect yourself. Another easy technique that delivers eye-catching results is to use a simple hand-held light source to “paint light” into the background and enhance the “atmosphere” of a scene.

Laurens also demonstrates how to make subjects stand out by using light to separate a subject from the background. The easiest way to do this is by finding a location where the foreground is bright and well lit, while the background is dark and in shadow. His other tips are just as straightforward and easy to accomplish.