10 tips for shooting portraits in natural light

Shooting portraits in natural light has the power to evoke an ethereal, minimalist style that takes the viewer's breath away.

There is something very simple and stunning about a visually striking natural light portrait. Whether it's a soft shadow during perfect morning light, or something that looks almost washed out, capturing dreamy portraits in natural light is a skill many photographers try to master.

Understanding how to manipulate natural light to capture an image of a person, and how to use shadows and highlights to your advantage, are fundamental skills that a portrait photographer must master.

Soft light isn't easy to deal with, but natural light can definitely affect the tones of your image, the style of your photography, and the overall look of the images you create.

In this article, you'll find 10 tips you need to know before your next photo shoot for capturing portraits in natural light.

Tip no. 1: Prime lenses create stunning portraits

While expensive, high-quality zoom lenses are absolutely necessary for most forms of photography, prime lenses are essential for portrait photography.

Having a defined focal length allows you to really play with your subject and forces you to move around your subject to capture different compositions.

An 85mm f/1.8 or 50mm f/1.4 lens are great to start with when shooting portrait photography.

The wide aperture will allow you to capture the bokeh effect when shooting portraits in natural light and soften the background to create that magical look.

Tip no. 2: Magic hour is needed to avoid strong light

When capturing portraits in natural light, you should avoid bright light whenever possible. Natural light portraiture is meant to be dreamy, with soft light.

This light is best found during the "magic" or "golden" hour , generally the time that falls just after sunrise and just before sunset.

When the sun is lower, shadows extend and highlights soften . In turn, this allows the image to be soft instead of harshly contrasted. Always look for the magic hours when capturing portraits in natural light.

Tip no. 3: Position your subject towards the light

Use soft light to your advantage. Highlight the features of your model with the light you are using. This also minimizes the risk of any unwanted shadows on the model's face.

By positioning your model's face towards the light, you allow that light to fill that space and create a soft look and feel to your natural portraiture. Since the light is low (if you follow our advice and shoot during golden hour) you shouldn't see any hard shadows on the models face and the shadows will be soft and less defined.

If you can't shoot during magic hour, place your subject in the shade : you'll avoid harsh and harsh shadows on the face and your model's eyes narrowing due to too much sun.

Tip 4: Bring a spotlight to every shoot

A floating reflector is key to any outdoor photo shoot where your plan is to manipulate the light. Even if you don't have an assistant, try bringing a tripod or light stand to prop up the reflector, or try a DIY approach by propping it up against an object.

A reflector can be instrumental in lifting the shadows on the darker side of the models face and will bounce that natural light to fill the space.

If the reflector has a gold side, you can use it if you want to create a warmer tone for your images. All of this will of course depend on your photography style for shooting portraits in natural light.

Some reflectors available on Amazon

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Tip no. Tip 5: Keep the ISO low to keep the portrait sharp

The last thing you want when taking a stunning image is to have a lot of unnecessary noise and unwanted grain in your photo. Try to use the lowest ISO sensitivity possible (suitable for your camera) to keep your natural light portrait as sharp as possible.

Consider adjusting the shutter speed or aperture to compensate for the low ISO number.

Tip no. 6: Shoot in RAW for maximum flexibility with your images

Always shoot in RAW settings whenever possible. Why? Because it allows you maximum creative flexibility to adjust the image to your liking in post production. In portrait photography, this is even more important.

When photographing portraits in natural light, it is very easy to accidentally expose shadows and thus overexpose the image. This causes you to lose information about your model's skin tone, which is incredibly important when you're shooting natural light portraits.

A RAW file gives you the most flexibility to recover detail in an image.

However, remember that a RAW file takes up much more space than a JPEG file and therefore considers a memory card large enough.

Tip no. 7: where to shoot? Here are some ideas!

Here are four ideas on where you can shoot portraits in natural light to create the most beautiful images possible.

Use Buildings Strategically : Using buildings or walls is a great way to break up the light if you don't have time to shoot during sunrise or sunset. Walls create natural shadows, which can be used in portrait photography.

Windows : Windows are great for shooting portraits with natural light as they act as a natural diffuser. This will naturally create a nice, soft light on your subject's face.

Sunrise or sunset : Shooting outdoors during sunrise or sunset is a great way to get the best possible light for natural light portraits. Find a park or landscape that inspires you and work within it to capture images of your models.

No sunrises or sunsets ? Cloudy or rainy days are other great natural diffusers when shooting portraits in natural light. The sky acts as a large soft diffuser, naturally diffusing the light for your images.

Tip no. 8: play with shadows

Not everyone can arrange to photograph at dawn or dusk. If you need to shoot in daylight, try playing with shadows .

Shadows have the ability to transform your portrait photography by creating interesting and dynamic shapes within your images. Finding any kind of mixed light is ideal for capturing perfect portraits in natural light.

Start with nature ! Use branches, flowers, or trees to cast shadows on your model's features. Shooting at home? Use curtains or hats to manipulate light for your images.

Tip no. 9: backlighting of the subject

When taking a portrait photograph, you want to avoid overexposing the model . The backlighting of the model is essential to minimize this risk. Place the model directly in front of a light source.

The light softens the silhouette of the model and creates a soft overall look. This is a fantastic technique to use especially when shooting portraits in natural light indoors.

Tip no. 10: Portraits in low light

Your shoot doesn't have to end just because the light is getting low. We've said before don't increase your ISOs, but this is an exception. Raise the ISO a bit and adjust other camera settings accordingly.

This setting may create some grain , but this will add mood to your photos, especially if your portrait is in black and white.

There is an incredible beauty in capturing stunning portraits in natural light, and as a photographer, you truly have the power to take your breath away with these images.

If you want to deepen and learn more about how to take portrait photographs, I recommend «Photography course: the portrait» by Mark Jenkinson or «Educating the gaze. Practical and theoretical introduction to photographic portrait» by Roswell Angler