With the majority of the country stuck at home right now, people are having to get more creative with their photo sessions. Whether you are stuck inside due to the current pandemic, extreme weather or just to avoid the southern heat, this weeks photo tips are for you! These same rules and tips can also be applied to help you take more beautiful snapshots with your phone on an everyday basis!
1. Turn off the lights
No matter if you are indoors or out, natural light is your best friend. This is so important that it bears repeating….Find Natural Light! This means you don't want lamps, overhead lighting, or other artificial lights if at all possible. These types of lights give off an orange tint and make skin tones uneven and harsh. So step one: Turn off the lights!
2. Go to the brightest room
Which room in your home has the most natural sunlight? What time of day? This will typically be the room with the most windows. But also consider the fact that large rooms take more light to fill. Also consider what time of day the sun will be filtering through the windows the most. Open the curtains and blinds to get the most light.
3. Space your subject
The closer your subject is to the window, the harsher the light will be. It will also cover a smaller surface area, so your subject may be bright while the background is darker. If you move your subject further from the window, the light becomes softer and more even across the entire body and background.
There is a lot to think about when photographing indoors, so this lesson becomes a little easier with an example! I shot this photo about a year ago while trying to take a photo of my daughter around five months old. The weather wasn't fit to have her outside, so indoors was my only option. I set everything up in her bedroom because it has the largest window and receives the most sunlight. I decided to start shooting around 11:00 because this is when the sunlight was coming through the window at its brightest. I made sure all of the curtains and blinds were open.
For spacing, I moved her around a tried a few different spots before choosing the best position. If I would have moved her closer to the window (towards the camera) the light would have been too bright and harsh on her skin. If I had moved her back towards her wall, there wasn't enough distance to make her stand out against the background. Once I found the best light, I snapped a TON of photos in this exact spot.
Taking indoor photos is difficult. Practice and play around! Experience is always the best teacher. Happy shooting!