How can I recreate this outdoor portrait lighting using natural light?
Asked 3/30/2011
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I want to recreate the lighting in this outdoor portrait. My first guess was sun from above and slightly behind the subject, plus large softboxes on both sides. But looking more closely, I’m not sure whether this is actually a flash setup or just ambient light. Based on the image, what lighting direction and conditions would most likely produce this look?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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My money would be on unadulterated ambient light. Once you learn to decompose studio light, you see it everywhere in natural images, however it is possible to overanalyse.
Late evening sun gives you the highlights you see in addition to filling in the shadows light a softbox. It may be the case her face was lightened in PP. It also gives you the same bokeh as this image when shining through trees.
If there were softboxes left and right you'd see their specular reflections in her glasses and eyes. In particular I would expect a strong white line where her eyeglass lenses curve at the extremes. The reflections could have been photoshopped out, but there are still some reflections in her eyes which looks like light coming through trees which makes you wonder why those would have been left in. Finally if I were shooting a model with glasses in the golden hour I certainly wouldn't introduce any extra lighting as that's simply more work all round!
I've shot in similar conditions with similar results. I'll see if I can dig out some images. Edit: here's an image with strong highlights and softly lit faces, no extrnal lighting:
Finally, where did this image come from? Could you ask the photographer how it was shot?
Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1375
15y ago
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This look was most likely made with ambient light rather than two large softboxes.
A good match would be late-afternoon or early-evening sun, with the sun high-ish behind and slightly to one side of the subject. That gives you the rim/highlight effect in the hair and shoulders, while the open sky and surrounding environment fill the shadows softly.
A key clue is the glasses and eyes: if large softboxes were placed left and right, you’d usually expect obvious rectangular specular reflections in the lenses and catchlights. Instead, the reflections look more like broken light from trees or open sky. The background bokeh also fits sunlight filtering through foliage.
To recreate it:
- Shoot outdoors near sunset or in warm late-day light.
- Place the subject with the sun behind or slightly behind to the side.
- Use open shade or a bright sky in front of the subject for soft facial fill.
- Expose carefully for skin and highlights.
- Optionally lift the face a little in post-processing if needed.
So your original idea is close on sun direction, but the “big softboxes left and right” probably weren’t used.
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