How to use window light to shoot portraits

Indoor, as long as the subject moves a few steps, the contrast between strong light and bright shadow will change greatly. So adjusting the distance can solve the problem of uneven illumination. Pezor pointed out that if the subject is in the middle of the window, facing the window, his forehead, nose, cheekbones and chin are all in white light, which looks very prominent and can clearly set off the outline in any background. When the light shines from the side, the lines on the cheeks are obvious, and the cheeks and jaws can produce shadows. When the head is slightly away from the camera, the light energy on the side can produce the maximum stereoscopic effect. At this time, the best way to express a person's facial features is to move his face away from the window a little and turn to the shadow direction, so that only the side is fully illuminated. But at this time, we must also use reflectors or other aspects of indoor reflection. If the subject moves to one side of the window and faces the window, the side light and side light will be weakened and the face will appear round and symmetrical. When the face turns to the camera, a shadow will appear on the back window of the face, but the side of the face farthest from the window will be more or less illuminated by plane light. Away from the window, the whole face is in a dark plane light. The farther the main body is from the window, the duller the tone. When using window light to shoot portraits, a small room with light walls reflects more light than a big, dark room, so the background is brighter. The intensity of reflected light and the tone of background can be adjusted by opening or closing curtains. But Peizor thinks that the most worth pursuing is the light efficiency of direct light. Photographers can use blinds or thick curtains to simulate the effect of hard direct light according to their own wishes. You can also use thin curtains to turn oblique light into scattered light or make it have a certain color. Light-colored window screens can be used as softeners to soften light. The effect of sunlight on colored curtains is the same as that of floodlights with color filters. The intensity and distribution of reflected light can be controlled by making a reflector with white cardboard and adjusting the position of the reflector. But if this technique is used too much, it will lose the characteristics of natural window light. The change of light during the day plays the same role indoors as taking color photos outdoors. However, some problems that do not need attention in outdoor photography have an impact on indoor window light. For example, the place near the window is a red brick wall, and where the sun shines, the light in the indoor window will be red; There are gardens and tall trees outside the window, and the light will be green; If the window faces the blue sky, it may be blue. This effect may be more obvious indoors than outdoors, because windows are more selective, unlike outdoor, which has generally balanced colors. If there are windows on both walls and the main body is between the two windows, the cross lighting at this time will cause various interesting changes in light efficiency. When shooting, as long as the subject turns his body, a series of different changes will occur. At this time, we should pay attention to make the light of one window slightly brighter than that of the other window by adjusting, and it is the worst that the light of the two windows is equal. Ronald Spearman, a British photographer, believes that the light can also be used as auxiliary light when shooting portraits with window light. He pointed out that the subject is irradiated by sunlight and tungsten light at the same time, which can produce very satisfactory results on the daylight slide show, which beginners generally can't understand. At this time, the only requirement is that the two light sources must come from different directions, so that they can shine on different planes of the subject. In other words, you can't let the subject get sunlight and light from the front at the same time. According to Spearman, the best effect can be achieved in the following ways: window light enters a room usually illuminated by tungsten lamp, thus forming a cold beam in one case.