Nature light VS Professional studio light
... After multiple DM’s and comments on Instagram, I am here to talk all about lighting. 💡
“Light is everything, without the light without the sun there would be no life, there would be no photography. After all, the word photography itself is Greek in origin and comes from the union of two words phos,(φώς) which means light and the verb grapho (γράφω) which means to write.“
There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to your choice of lighting, it purely depends on what you want to achieve from it in terms of the tone and mood. In other words, sometimes, studio lighting is better than daylight and vice versa. Personal preference plays a role as well. To keep things simple to comprehend, let’s first talk about what they both mean. We have two types of light :
Natural light which is the one coming from the sun.
Professional studio light - artificial light. Basically everything that excludes daylight and is generated using a source example a strobe, LED etc.
But what type of light is best to choose for you, natural or artificial, the sun or lamps and flashes? Let's review the pros and cons of both.
Natural light
pros :
- It’s affordable, basically it is free as it comes from the sun.
- It offers variety. Natural light photos vary depending on the time of day that they are shot. A photo taken during the golden hour will look markedly different from one taken in the middle of a sunny day, which in turn will look different from a photo at dusk, or even at night (with a very long shutter speed).
- It works indoors as well as outdoors. Natural light enters buildings through windows and doors, and it can be exploited for photography. For instance, window photography combines the natural lighting of the sun with interior decor. This form of ambient lighting can be easier to work with than direct sunlight since window light comes from a fixed direction.
cons:
- Unpredictability. The weather plays a big role! Clouds come and go and this means that the light is changing constantly and this makes it really unpredictable. Of course it is not so bad if we are shooting in a studio, however the amount of light will be dramatically lower than on a sunny day.
- The Environment. Photographing outdoors means you are constantly at the mercy of the weather. Rain, snow, wind and extreme cold or hot temperatures, can all make for some uncomfortable experiences for both photographer and client! Finally, the attention of strangers when photographing outdoors is not always good.
- Night. When the sun sets and the night falls, there is nothing left but darkness. The truth is though, that natural light goes out with a bang! The images we can get before, during and after the sunset are amazing! The famous “golden hours” as we photographers call them are followed by the “blue hours” where the sky gets a gorgeous dark blue color!
Creating beautiful photographs with natural light isn’t as simple as going outside and taking a photo. A photographer who really understands natural light will understand the best times of day, best place for you to stand, and the best angles to make the most of naturally available light.
Professional studio light - artificial light.
pros:
- Convenience. Artificial light is constantly available throughout the day and night , thus allowing you to skip planning your shoot around factors like the time of day and the weather has no effect on you.
- Control. Based on the specific type of artificial light you select, you can even mimic sunlight in your shots, giving the impression that you worked with natural light when you really didn't.
- Versatility. If you want a particular look or mood, all that you have to do is set up the lights, and take photos until you have your results. There’s no worry that a cloud will move in and block your light. This is a huge advantage over the fast changing conditions of natural light.
cons:
- Cost. This is exactly the opposite from natural light. Artificial lights can cost a lot! Some studios ask to pay extra for renting their sources of light.
- Time. Setting up artificial lights also requires more time.
- Space. It's necessary to have the space to set up the lights and move them around a bit to get the right angle for the look we need.
It may seem daunting at first, using artificial light is a real game changer. You have full control to create the look you are after and are not bound by daylight hours (I’m specifically talking to people setting up their biz around a full time job and all the mumpreneurs working when their kids are in bed). You can create different looks, there’s so much you can do with just one light!
Different Light for Different Occasions
As you can see, it’s not so much which is better between artificial light and natural light – it’s which of the two is better for specific occasions. In other words, sometimes, artificial lighting is better than daylight and vice versa. It’s also about preferences that you may have at any given time.
📸 How do I work:
I shoot with natural light and with professional studio light.
As we already know the differences of lighting, there’re also a variation of the process / timing / price / amount of pictures/ studios are also quite different.
☀️ Photo session with natural light
A decorated studio with enough light is an amazing choice for an individual photoshoot with natural light. The studio has a variety of props. The design of the room can be chosen according to your taste and occasion.
Photoshoot with natural light is excellent for:
- lifestyle
- simple portrait
- maternity
- personal branding
An individual photoshoot (1 person) will take up to 1 hour.
2 outfits changes
Mood board - visualized preparation of upcoming session
Coaching & pose direction during photoshoot
25 professionally retouched photos
price: $350
ready result in 3 weeks
*additional retouched photos $10/photo
**high-speed retouching (5 days) - $100
***photo studio rent, makeup/hair services are of extra charge (if required)
Once you’ve decided you’re in, I require a deposit of $ 100 which is the price for booking your spot. Deposit is non-refundable.
Delivered in the brand package #UBag with files on a flash drive and 8 print photos 10x15 size
🎁BONUS
Toronto has numerous cool studios with designs. I share a list of my favourites. You may browse it and choose the one you like the most:
💡 Photo session with professional studio light is SUPERB 💥
Artificial light is about the art of manipulating lights and styles. The light allows us to experiment and get photos in classically professional style, trending fashion style or glamorous magazine style.
Photoshoot with professional studio light is excellent for:
- professional portraits
- fashion maternity
- model tests
- actor headshots
Individual photoshoot (1 person) is up to 2 hour.
3 outfits changes
Mood board - visualized preparation of our shooting
Coaching & pose direction during session
12 professionally retouched photos
price: $400
ready result in 3 weeks
*additional retouched photos $15/photo
**high-speed retouching (5 days) - $100
***photo studio rent, makeup/hair services are of extra charge (if required)
Once you’ve decided you’re in, I require a deposit of $ 100 which is the price for booking your spot. Deposit is non-refundable.
delivered in the brand package #UBag with files on a flash drive and 8 print photos 10x15 size
🎁BONUS
My clients receive a 10% OFF for booking a 'Mild Studio' (studio-b). Please ask about PROMO CODE.
