The Best Secret to Shooting Indoors
The best secret to shooting portraits indoors and on your cell phone is to GO TO THE WINDOW!
Please trust me on this. The most flattering light indoors is coming through a window no matter how cloudy it is. Window light makes your face glow by diminishing wrinkles and fine lines. Windows make your eyes sparkle by adding a catch light (the circle of light reflected in your eyes) and it makes them lighter.
Sometimes, my girlfriends try and fight me on this but the fact of the matter is, you will like the image better if your face has evenly, diffused light on it rather than having a pretty restaurant scene in the background.
Sometimes in my professional sessions, I opt for the window light over a strobe. Natural light is so flattering and has an overall different look and vibe. I almost always incorporate window light in my studio sessions.
All the images below are shot using window light. Only one of them was shot on a professional Canon camera while I was teaching the power of natural window light, and when to choose it over a strobe. The rests are iPhone pictures and selfies. I even tried it on Olive, my cat, but she wouldn't be still! You can still see that catch light in her eye though.
So remember, when the camera or cell phone comes out, go to the window to take the picture. If there is no window, then face the nearest light source.
Here's another {somewhat related} tip, if you are on a lunch or happy hour date and you get seated near a window, choose the seat facing the window. It will be like a beauty dish is lighting your face the whole date. You can thank me later. :)
Here's to taking gorgeous photos on the fly!
With Love,
Judith
