Ah, the pleasures of shooting the perfect portraits! It feels amazing, doesn’t it? We know the feeling too!
But, this perfection usually comes at a price. You will need a studio setting with all the right equipment, and that can weigh you down financially. There are too many overhead costs to consider along with the equipment costs, and it may feel like it is all too much. If you can’t afford it, does it mean that you can’t click great portraits? No, absolutely not!
You can very easily just set everything up at home without shelling out impossible amounts of money. Don’t believe us? Keep reading, and you will learn exactly how to setup portrait lighting at home!
Set Your Backdrop Up Near The Window
The backdrop needs to be at 90 degrees for dramatic lighting. You can change the angle and the subject’s position based on how you want the lighting to affect the portrait. The same set up can give you low-key portraits as well. It is just about the angles.
Your Backdrop Needs To Be Dark
Portraits are the best on a dark background. We are sure you know that. So, you have two options here – Paint the wall you wish to use or choose a backdrop that’s dark. Just this little tip will dramatically improve the quality of your pictures.
Buy A Portable Studio Kit
Most of you may see the need to have artificial lighting. In that case, just buy a portable studio kit that has strobes or any other similar lighting option. It is easy to use portable kits and also to stack them away when you are not clicking amazing pictures. You can also try multiple things with these kits such as single flash photography and double exposures.
Use The Window Light Properly
Even if you set your home studio up in such a way that the light enters through the window at an angle, it can be too much to take. So, use sheer curtains or any diffusion fabric to diffuse it. This will ensure that you only have how much you need and not too much.
Put The Reflector Opposite The Window
If you have a reflector, make sure you position it opposite the window and close to the subject. We recommend that you use silver reflectors instead of white or gold reflectors for the right effect.
There you have it! In just a few simple steps you can transform your entire room into a studio to click the most stunning portraits. Do share your images with us so that we know how helpful our tips were. All the best!
