Lindsay Adler - Creative Natural Light Recipe Guide

CREATIVE NATURAL LIGHT recipe GUIDE

table of contents Introduction........................ Definitions........................... A Guide To This Guide.........

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SETUPS: Elegant Shadows................. Musical Notes...................... Textured Glass..................... Red Sequins......................... Red Gel................................ Tennis “Mask”...................... Strainer................................ Pink Heart Cutout............... Broken Mirror...................... Tropical Ferns...................... Graphic Lines.......................

lighting recipe guide

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Rainbow............................... Black Lace............................ Blue Stars............................. Underwater......................... Holographic Highlights...... Reflective Tile...................... Colorful Stripes: Bowl......... Cinefoil................................. Prism Mirror Panels.............

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About The Author...............

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creative natural light / lindsay adler

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introduction When you hear ‘creative lighting’ you usually think of studio lighting, right? It’s time for that to change! You can achieve remarkably creative lighting with natural light. You don’t need expensive tools or lighting equipment to shoot creatively lit portraits...all you need is the sun! If you’ve got a sunny day, you’ve got the key ingredient for shooting jaw-dropping, creative lighting. Many, dare I say most, photographers are afraid of direct sunlight. They hide their subjects away in the shade and stick to relatively ‘standard’ illumination for their portraits. This guide is designed to challenge the way you’ve used the sun in the past. It is meant to push your creativity and encourage you to embrace direct sunlight. One of the first things I learned about portraits is that you should avoid putting your subjects in the sun.

lighting recipe guide

The sun is a very hard light source that creates a great deal of contrast and defined shadow edges. This can have the undesirable result of emphasizing wrinkles and blemishes. On the other hand, these same attributes of contrast and defined shadows are exactly what will allow us to achieve creative effects. As you explore this guide, you will find that there are two main ways to get creative with sunlight: Shadows: Cast shadows upon your subject using direct sunlight Bounce: Bounce sunlight off unusual surfaces and onto your subject These two concepts are the foundations of this guide and how I create a vast range of creative results.

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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definitionS Gobos

Distance of Gobos

“Gobos”, also known as “go betweens”, is a term used to describe an object that is placed between your light source and a surface where it casts a shadow. This could be casting a pattern on your subject’s face or simply creating more interesting shadow textures on a background.

As you experiment with gobos and sunlight, you’ll realize that the distance of your gobos to your subject makes a big difference in the resulting effects. The closer the object is to your subject, the more crisp the shadow edges will be. For example, if you hold a piece of lace 3ft away from your subject, you will hardly see the lace pattern, if at all. However, the lace pattern is most noticeable when the fabric is nearly touching the subject’s face (refer to the lace example in this guide). At times when I want extremely crisp shadows I’ll try to find ways to have the gobo barely out of frame (with a tight crop) or even incorporate it into the composition.

Typically this term has been used for studio lighting and theater lights. For example, gobos may be used in a play to cast the pattern of light coming through a window to create a sense of realism and environment. We, however, will use gobos in conjunction with the sun rather than artificial light! Utilizing the setups in this guide, you’ll come to realize that when it comes to gobos there are endless tools available to you. I create images that play with shadows by using lace, gels, string, ferns, stencils and a range of other objects. My goal is to change the way you see the world around you. Suddenly your kitchen utensils, the chain link fence at the park, the stencils used for scrapbooking...any and all of these items start to become potential creative lighting tools. As you wander through a craft shop or scroll through online stores, you won’t be able to stop thinking about all the creative possibilities. And that’s the point! When you are equipped with knowledge and techniques you’ll be fueled and inspired to create art with your own individual twist on my setups!

lighting recipe guide

Distance also creates a few other side effects. For example, you’ll find as you bring the gobo closer that any patterns will become smaller. In the setup with the heart cut out of the gel, I adjusted the distance of the gel closer/further from my subject to achieve the ideal size to only surround the eye. If the size of the gobo is small, you’ll find that as you bring it closer to your subject you will have less shadow coverage on the body. In the flower stencil example there are actually a variety of sizes I could have chosen from. I selected a 12x12in stencil because when I brought a 3x3 in stencil closer to my subject (to achieve crisp lines) the shadows only covered part of the face while the rest was hit by sunlight (and became distracting). In this guide I list the distance of the gobo from the subject to give you a starting point for your own experimentation. Know that as you change and vary distances, you’ll see differences in the resulting shadows but there is no ‘right or wrong’. This is YOUR creation.

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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DEFINITIONS (continued) Time of Day

Bounce

As you well know, the time of day changes the angle and color temperature of the light. You should be aware that the time of day and angle of the sun will affect your results and the control you have. For example, when the sun is very high in the sky (midday) you may struggle to avoid dark shadows in the eyes. You may need a reflector to fill in the eye sockets or you may need to shoot from a higher angle (above your subject looking down) so that their eyes are lifted toward the sun.

The other approach to creative natural lighting is to bounce sunlight onto your subject’s face using an unusual surface. A reflector is a ‘typical’ way to light the face, so why not try mirrors, sequins, or even disco balls! There are so many different shiny or reflective surfaces to experiment with.

Let’s consider two examples from this guide. In the fern example, I originally planned to shoot around noon but decided that shooting later in the day would not only be more flattering on the face and eyes, but it would also create a warmer, more tropical light. The “Underwater” setup, however, was ideal for shooting at noon because of the downward angle of the sun while my subject was laying on the floor. Although I have listed the time of day as a reference in this guide, I must be clear that the angle of the sun will vary greatly depending on the time of year and your location (latitude), etc. My goal for including the time of day was only to show you which images were taken closer to the sun being at its highest or lowest points. Going outside any time of year or anywhere in the world will likely yield completely different results. (FYI - the photos in this guide were shot in the Northern hemisphere… New Jersey and New York… in June).

lighting recipe guide

When bouncing light onto your subject, they can still be in direct sunlight (as with our holographic paper setup), but typically you will want to place the subject with their face in shadow. By placing the face in shadow this will allow your reflections to show up more clearly. If there is too much light on the face it may be difficult to differentiate the reflections you’ve added. Keep in mind if you place your subject in the shade, you’ll need to be able to bounce direct sunlight from nearby. Consider placing your subject on the ‘edge’ of the shade, just where direct sunlight falls to shadow. This could be a shadow created by a porch or the side of a building. You can also hold a board or other surface overhead to create an area of shade on your subject although this may require extra stands or another helping hand on set. Lastly, if you want to simulate the look of multiple light sources in the scene you may consider putting the sun at the subject’s back to act as a rim light. In the mirror setup the evening sun illuminates the side of the model’s hair and body while the broken mirror serves as a main light source creating slices of light on the face.

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definitions (continued) Backgrounds I want to talk a bit about the backgrounds I chose in this guide for my creative lighting setups. I feel they are often very important to the effectiveness of the final images. Bringing a background or V-flat on location may be an extra (and unnecessary) hassle especially if you are working alone. That being said, I find that carefully selecting backgrounds provide me with a more controlled, purposeful style to my shots which help to create a polished look. At times I chose to select a wide aperture to simplify my background, but often there are reasons I go the more complicated route. First of all, I frequently bring background paper or small pop-up backgrounds with me even when shooting natural light. Typically I like this approach because I can more purposefully select the color of my background. In this guide you’ll see I use both beige and blue seamless paper. You can bring a stand along, or simply cut a small piece of seamless paper and tape it to a V-flat. These backgrounds allow me to introduce an additional element of color to help reinforce the theme for my shoot. In addition, this approach suits my clean and bold photographic style. Next, you’ll notice that I regularly use V-flats throughout these setups. The reason I frequently use V-flats is that they serve to create a clean background and they can also act as reflectors or additional light sources in the scene!

For example, when the direct sunlight hits a white V-flat, I can bring that V-flat very close to my subject and the bouncing light will create a beautiful rim light on the subject’s jaw. I can move part of the white V-flat around to the front or side of my subject (as you see in the strainer example), and suddenly not only do I have a white background but also a beautiful soft fill light. I can use the black side of the V-flat for a clean black background, or as a negative fill when I’m trying to reduce some of the bouncing light in the scene. The black V-flat will absorb and block light for more dramatic results. In other words, yes, you can achieve creative lighting without having the lug along backgrounds or V-flats… but you may find that extra effort is worth it for the superior control and effects you may achieve. By the way, the V-flats in this guide are specifically designed to be portable, collapsible and easy to set up. V-Flat World has created these portable flats to fit in your car. They easily tuck away in a closet...perfect for people who don’t have a photo studio but still want to utilize this important lighting tool.

Check out V-Flats here lighting recipe guide

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a guide to this guide Before we jump into the guide, I want to talk about some of the pieces of information I’ve provided for each setup. Product: Anytime I’ve used gobos or reflective surfaces, I’ve listed the product and a link to where you can buy the item (unless it was DIY). Most of the items are inexpensive or you can create a less expensive alternative. Camera details: I’ve provided my lens choice and camera settings, though exposure may vary based upon the time of day that you choose to shoot or gobo you use. I shot a majority of images with an 85mm lens, although you could certainly vary your focal length. I focused on portraiture for this guide and an 85mm allowed me to achieve the tight shots I required to showcase the beautiful, creative details of highlights/shadows on my subject. Distance of Product to Subject: As I mentioned earlier, the distance of your gobo to your subject changes the shadow edges. For each shot I’ve listed the approximate distance of the gobo/tool to the subject’s face to give you a starting point as reference. Height of Product Above Eye Level: For this detail we’ve measured from the subject’s eye level upward to estimate the approximate height above the subject that the gobo has been placed. Keep in mind that the ideal height will vary based upon the time of day (due to the angle of light). Time of Day: As stated previously, time of day has been provided to give a rough approximation of how close the shot was captured toward the middle (high noon 12pm) or end of day (sunset 8:00pm). The time of year and your latitude would completely change the angles of the sun, making time of day less useful for setting up your own shoots. Behind the Scenes: For each concept I’ve included two or more behind the scenes images to help you visualize the setup, relative distances and tools as they are being used. Keep in mind that I regularly vary the height of my camera and the placement of the gobo until all of the elements fall into place.

Now it’s time to dive into these setups. My goal is to change the way you think about your natural light portraiture and the way you utilize the sun. I want to alter the way you see the world around you so that you suddenly see new opportunities to be creative. This is a recipe guide to help you recreate these images. You will certainly need to experiment a bit in your shots since there will be a number of variables at play during your own portrait session. Of course, you should also continue to become more creative by taking the knowledge from this guide and using it to grow and create your own unique and stylized twist to these ideas. Time to get inspired!

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Elegant Shadows lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Elegant Shadows

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight with a white V-flat behind her for a clean, white background.

STEP 2 Add the large stencil as a gobo to cast a shadow on the subject. Bring the stencil closer to the subject for more defined shadow edges and move the stencil further if you need more coverage of the face/body.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Elegant Shadows Setup details • Distance of product to model: 10-12 inches • Height of Product above eye level: 8 inches • Distance of background to model: 4ft • Time of day: 12:30 PM • Background: White V-Flat • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/2500 • Aperture: 2.0

STEP 3 Flower Stencil

Vary the subject’s head position to allow the pattern to fall on the face in the most flattering way. Avoid too much darkness in the eyes.

TIP When using a stencil, be sure it’s not too small or it will not cover the entire face or shoulders. Here the stencil is 12x12 inches, and I found that it was close to the minimum size I required for this effect. This semi-translucent white stencil allows some light to pass through the solid parts giving a pleasant fill light to the shadow areas.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Musical Notes lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Musical Notes

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight with a black V-flat behind the subject for a clean, black background.

STEP 2 Hold the music lace ribbon very close to the subject’s face to achieve crisp, defined musical notes. Vary the angle of the notes to create pleasing lines and composition on the face.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Musical Notes Setup details • Distance of product to model: 4-6 inches • Height of Product above eye level: 6 inches • Distance of background to model: 3ft • Time of day: 1:00 PM • Background: Black V-Flat • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: EF 180mm 3.5 • ISO: 640 • Shutter Speed: 1/1250 • Aperture: 9.0

STEP 3 Music Note Lace

Consider using a macro lens (100mm or 180mm) or 70200mm lens to allow for a very tight crop so that the shadows are clearly discernible.

TIP Although I’ve used musical notes in this lace piece, there are dozens of other lace/ribbon trim patterns. Some are in the shapes of leaves, flowers and more. Check a fabric store or online retailers.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Textured Glass lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Textured Glass

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight with a brown background behind them. This could be a piece of beige background paper, a brown textured wall, or a textured muslin background (as seen here). This color choice unites the skin tone with the background for an analogous color scheme.

STEP 2 Place a silver reflector underneath the subject’s chin or in their lap. This helps create a catchlight in the eyes and fills in the shadows under the chin/eyes.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Textured Glass Setup details • Distance of product to model: 24 inches • Height of Product above eye level: 6 inches • Distance of background to model: 4ft • Time of day: 1:15 PM • Background: Brown Muslin Background • Reflector: Silver Reflector

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/2000 • Aperture: 2.5

STEP 3 Hurricane Glass Vase / Available at CB2 outlet store

Place a large textured glass vase casting a shadow on the subject’s face. Vary the distance of the vase to control how much of the body the shadow covers.

TIP While this particular vase was a discount CB2 (Crate and Barrel) hurricane glass vase, you can create interesting results with a variety of textured glass containers. If shopping at a Home Goods or craft store, simply use the flashlight on your phone to help determine what pattern (if any) the glass will cast.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Red Sequins lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Red Sequins

STEP 1 Place the subject with their back to the sun and a black V-flat behind them to reduce the amount of light on the shoulders/hair. In this instance we have stepped inside (in front of a window) to reduce the amount of fill light on the face for more dramatic results.

STEP 2 Position the subject where there is no direct sunlight on them, but where sunlight can still hit the sequins. The subtle highlights on the side of the face and shoulders are from indirect light.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Red Sequins Setup details • Distance of product to model: 14 inches • Height of Product above eye level: n/a • Distance of background to model: 1ft • Time of day: 4:00 PM • Background: Black V-Flat • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 200 • Shutter Speed: 1/250 • Aperture: 2.0

STEP 3 Red Sequin Fabric

TIP

Use sequin fabric to bounce direct sunlight onto the subject’s face. The sequins typically have to be very close to the face in order to clearly see the highlights rather than a simple wash of color, but be sure to experiment with distance to test the changing results.

A sequin table runner is a great and inexpensive solution for reflective sequin fabric. You can also buy a small scrap piece at a fabric store or use a sequin dress. When selecting the color of the sequins, be aware that some colors may be more challenging and unflattering to skin. For example, green sequins may yield an unpleasing color wash, whereas gold sequins may create a golden glow.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Red Gel lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Red Gel

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight with a white V-flat behind them.

STEP 2 Bring the white V-flat close behind the subject so that the bounce of the light acts like a rim light on the jawline. Next, close one side of the V-flat to purposefully cast a shadow behind the subject. This becomes an area of contrast/interest to incorporate into your composition.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Red Gel

Setup details • Distance of product to model: 20 inches • Height of Product above eye level: 11 inches • Distance of background to model: 2ft • Time of day: 4:20 PM • Background: White V-Flat • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/800 • Aperture: 2.8

STEP 3 Red gel

TIP

Use the red gel as a gobo. As the light passes through the gel, it will create a wash and line of color on the face. Bring the gel close to the subject for extremely crisp lines. Vary the angle and position of the gel to cover different parts of the face for interesting compositional results.

Any color gel can be used in this technique, but I’d consider the subject’s clothing or makeup to help you select the ideal gel color. Some gels absorb more light than others, so at times the color gel on the face (dark blue for example) will appear a stop or more darker than the face. This is not ‘wrong’ but be sure not to blow out your highlights if you adjust your exposure to compensate for the gel.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Tennis “Mask” lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Tennis “Mask”

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight with a white V-flat behind them.

STEP 2 Bring the white V-flat close behind the subject so that the bounce of the light acts like a rim light on the jawline. Next, close one side of the V-flat to purposefully cast a shadow behind the subject. This becomes an area of contrast/interest to incorporate into your composition.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Tennis “Mask” Setup details • Distance of product to model: 12-16 inches • Height of Product above eye level: 8-16 inches • Distance of background to model: 2ft • Time of day: 4:35 PM • Background: White V-Flat • Reflector: Silver Reflector + White V-Flat

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/800 • Aperture: 2.8

STEP 3 Tennis Racket

TIP

Use a tennis racket to cast a shadow on the subject’s face, bringing it closer to the subject for more crisp lines. While you can certainly hold the racket yourself, if someone is holding the racket for you, be careful that their shadow is not cast upon the subject.

The tennis racket pattern was chosen because it looks like the pattern of a fishnet mask on the face. At times shadows can actually mimic clothing or makeup designs.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Strainer lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Strainer

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight with a white V-flat behind them. Then, close one part of the V-flat so that it rests near to the side of the model’s face. This will act as a very soft light source illuminating the side of the face. If the v-flat is behind, it acts as a background/rim light. If it is moved up more to the side, it acts as either a main or fill light.

STEP 2 Place the strainer above and close to the subject’s head. Vary the distance and angle of the strainer to the subject to change the size of the holes and the shadow. Here we have placed the ‘blank’ area of the pattern over the eyes.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Strainer

Setup details • Distance of product to model: 4-10 inches • Height of Product above eye level: 4 inches • Distance of background to model: 1ft • Time of day: 4:45 PM • Background: White V-Flat • Reflector: White V-Flat

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/2000 • Aperture: 2.5

STEP 3 Add a silver reflector to help illuminate the shadows under the chin and to create a catchlight in the eyes.

Strainer

TIP Your kitchen can be a wonderland of gobos. Try different strainers, utensils, placemats and more as possible creative shadow results. Chances are there is already something in your kitchen that would work great for this technique!

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Pink Heart Cutout lighting recipe guide

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Pink Heart Cutout STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight with a blue background behind them. Here I’ve used the color “Blue Jay” by Savage Universal. I chose to attach the seamless paper to a V-flat because I could then use the V-flat to cast a shadow on the background making it deeper, more saturated blue. (When the background was hit by sunlight it appeared washed out). You may notice a highlight on the subject’s jaw (right-hand of frame). This is caused by reflections off of the building behind her, and I chose to keep the highlight for separation rather than moving the setup.

STEP 2 Select a gel color and cut a shape out of the gel using an x-acto knife. You can use a stencil for the shape, draw it on beforehand to trace, or freehand the outline. Here we chose to create a heart.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Pink Heart Cutout Setup details • Distance of product to model: 12 inches • Height of Product above eye level: 3 inches • Distance of background to model: 2ft • Time of day: 6:15 PM • Background: White V-Flat + Blue Savage Universal Paper Background • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/320 • Aperture: 3.2

STEP 3 Magenta Gel

TIP

Hold the gel so that it is hit by the sunlight and place the opening/shape of the heart over the eye. To make the heart smaller and more crisp, move the gel closer to the subject. The size that you cut the shape will dramatically affect the necessary distance of the gel to achieve the ideal size on the face.

Planning ahead can go a long way. I knew ahead of time that I planned to have the heart surround the subject’s eye and that I would use a pink gel. For that reason we chose a complementing pink eyeshadow to give more cohesion and purpose to the image.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Broken Mirror lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Broken Mirror

STEP 1 Place the subject with their back to the sun later in the day.

STEP 2 Using a broken mirror, bounce the light back onto the subject. The angle and distance of the mirror to the subject will make a difference in the appearance of the light. Experiment with all of these factors to find the ideal illumination. For example, when the mirror is further away, the reflections will cover more of the body and when angled you may catch narrower, more precise reflections.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Broken Mirror Setup details • Distance of product to model: 48 inches • Height of Product above eye level: 12- 14 inches • Distance of background to model: n/a • Time of day: 6:20 PM • Background: none • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 320 • Shutter Speed: 1/2500 • Aperture: 2.8

STEP 3 Broken Mirror

Be sure to not have the mirror below the subject’s eye level, as this will create an unflattering ‘up light’ when the shadows of the nose actually point at an upward angle.

TIP Obviously you need to be very careful when breaking a mirror. The frame will help keep the pieces in place, but be aware of any loose or falling pieces.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Tropical Ferns lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Tropical Ferns

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight with greenery in the background behind her. Be sure to avoid any bright or distracting elements in the background like cars, buildings, etc.

STEP 2 Use faux ferns (or real ferns if available) to cast patterns on the subject’s face and body. Try to place the shadows in a way that is compositionally interesting and directs the viewer’s eyes.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Tropical Ferns Setup details • Distance of product to model: 24 inches • Height of Product above eye level: n/a • Distance of background to model: n/a • Time of day: 6:35 PM • Background: none • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/3200 • Aperture: 2.8

STEP 3 Fake Ferns

Shoot at a wide aperture and consider actually including the ferns (out of focus) in the frame. This creates a sense of depth and visual interest.

TIP There are a lot of inexpensive faux ferns available that when shooting at a wide aperture will appear quite real in your photographs. You may need extra hands to hold the ferns or you can simply tape them to a stand.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Graphic Lines lighting recipe guide

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Graphic Lines

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight and avoid any distracting elements in the background behind the subject. You may choose to set up a black V-flat, but in this example I have simply used the shade behind her.

STEP 2 Hang up the string fringe curtain by attaching it to two light stands or background stands. Place the curtain in between the sunlight and your subject, casting shadows upon her.

lighting recipe guide

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Graphic Lines Setup details • Distance of product to model: 24 inches • Height of Product above eye level: n/a • Distance of background to model: n/a • Time of day: 6:40 PM • Background: none • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/2000 • Aperture: 2.8

STEP 3 String Curtain

Vary the distance of your subject to the strings. The closer she is, the more crisp the shadows will be. Shoot around the side of the strings (not through them) to see the patterns clearly.

TIP What’s great about this setup is that the ‘gobo’ is quite large and can cast full-body shadows. This makes it compelling for wider or even full body shots and is particularly interesting for fine art nude photography.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Rainbow lighting recipe guide

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Rainbow

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight with a black V-flat behind her. When playing with rich rainbow colors like this, I suggest a solid background (any color will do) to help simplify the background and create more graphic results. Although this background is black, I have also tried this technique using a higher key, white background.

STEP 2 Place the prismatic and holographic window cling between the sun and the subject. You’ll notice that the angles of the cling as well as the distance of the surface to the subject will make a drastic difference. Up close the patterns become more ‘explosive’ and concentrated.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Rainbow

Setup details • Distance of product to model: 8 inches • Height of Product above eye level: n/a • Distance of background to model: n/a • Time of day: 6:55 PM • Background: none • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/400 • Aperture: 2.5

STEP 3 Rainbow Window Cling

TIP

You may find that putting your subject in shadow yields more saturated results. If your shooting time is later in the day, you can have the person/assistant holding the cling (if that’s not you) actually use their body to cast a shadow on the subject. If you have a V-flat, you can use the side of the V-flat to put their face/body in shadow.

This window cling is not the only way to cast rainbow patterns on your subject. There are rainbow suncatchers, prisms, and other holographic reflective surfaces that will achieve similar effects.

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Black Lace lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Black Lace

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight with a black V-flat behind the subject for a clean, dark background.

STEP 2 Place a large piece of lace directly above the subject. In fact, with intricate lace the results are the best (and most detailed) when the lace is on top of the subject’s head and extremely close to the face. You may hold the lace or ask the subject to assist holding the lace near their face.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Black Lace Setup details • Distance of product to model: Overhead • Height of Product above eye level: 6 inches • Distance of background to model: 4ft • Time of day: 12:50 PM • Background: Black V-Flat • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/1000 • Aperture: 2.0

STEP 3 Black Lace / Available online or at a local fabric store

Consider compositions that incorporate the lace into the frame. Vary the head position and eyes opened/closed to handle the overhead sunlight that may put shadows in the eyes.

TIP Lace can be purchased online or from a fabric store. Consider trying an inexpensive lace table cloth or curtain as an easy alternative. I suggest using ‘chunkier’ lace (lace with larger, more defined patterns) to make it easier to see the pattern in the shadow.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Blue Stars lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Blue Stars

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight with a blue background behind them. Here I’ve used the color “Blue Jay” by Savage Universal. I chose to attach the seamless paper to a V-flat because I could then use the V-flat to cast a shadow on the background making it deeper, more saturated blue. (when the background was hit by sunlight it appeared washed out).

STEP 2 Layer a blue gel and star stencil as a gobo. Remember, different blue gels will absorb different amounts of light so your exposures will vary.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Blue Stars

Setup details • Distance of product to model: 4-8 inches • Height of Product above eye level: n/a • Distance of background to model: 2ft • Time of day: 5:35 PM • Background: White V-Flat + Blue Savage Universal Paper Background • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/200 • Aperture: 3.5

STEP 3 Star stencil + Blue gel

Try moving the gel so it only covers half of the stencil or layer multiple gels for multiple colors in one shot. Move the stencil closer to the subject or further away to vary the size of the stars/pattern.

TIP You may notice a highlight on the subject’s jawline. This is caused both by part of the background hit by the sun as well as sunlight reflecting off of the building behind the subject (to the right of frame). To eliminate this highlight you can move the subject away from the reflective surfaces. To enhance this highlight you can expose part of the white V-flat (behind the subject but out of frame) to become a strong bounce rim light.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Underwater lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Underwater

STEP 1 Place the subject on the ground, typically lying on their back. Remember, you’ll have to consider the surface they are resting upon as it will be visible in the shot. Here we have selected a brown muslin background to create a ‘sandy’ look beneath the subject’s head.

STEP 2 Secure the water ‘tank’ safety above the subject’s head. Here we have created a “DIY” water tank using a piece of plexiglass, a wooden frame, and waterproof sealant on the inside. If you are not ‘crafty’ or able to create something similar to what is seen here, there are several small and inexpensive solutions. In the past I have used a 9”x13” inch clear acrylic tray filled with water. You’ll only be able to cover the subject’s face, but it will still yield similar results.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Underwater Setup details • Distance of product to model: 24 inches • Height of Product above eye level: n/a • Distance of background to model: 0ft • Time of day: 2:00 PM • Background: Brown Muslin Background • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 50mm 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/3200 • Aperture: 2.0

STEP 3 DIY water tank / Handmade prop. Try acyrlic tray as smaller alternative.

Agitate the water to create patterns of light on the subject. Gently shake the tray, splash the water, or try other movements. Each will create a different visual result.

TIP This lighting technique is more easily achieved in the middle of the day when the sun is higher in the sky since the subject will be laying on her back.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Holographic Highlights lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Holographic Highlights

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight with a black V-flat behind them. Turn the subject slightly away from the sunlight to create a bit of shadow and sculpting (here the shadows appear on the right side of the face).

STEP 2 Select a holographic paper and bring it very close to the subject. Manipulate the shape of the paper (bend, fold, rotate) to create different reflections onto the shadow side of the subject’s face.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Holographic Highlights Setup details • Distance of product to model: 12-16 inches • Height of Product above eye level: 3 inches • Distance of background to model: 2ft • Time of day: 5:10 PM • Background: Black V-Flat • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: EF 180mm 3.5 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/2000 • Aperture: 4.0

STEP 3 Holographic Paper

Allow the subject to close their eyes and count down to open when it’s time to shoot. The direct sunlight (with no shade) paired with the close reflection of the paper will make it difficult for their eyes to remain open.

TIP You’ll notice in the product and behind the scenes shots that the paper appears orange. While this is true, the color it reflects is actually blue and purple! The iridescence of the paper causes unexpected colors to be reflected, so you’ll have to experiment. The pack of papers I linked to in this guide has a wide range of colors to choose from.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Reflective Tile lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Reflective Tile

STEP 1 Place the subject in the shade but be sure there is sunlight nearby (for the next step). Place a beige or skin tone background behind the subject.

STEP 2 Find the sunlight and use the mirrored tile to reflect light/ patterns onto the subject.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Reflective Title Setup details • Distance of product to model: 48-72 inches • Height of Product above eye level: n/a • Distance of background to model: 3.5ft • Time of day: 3:30 PM • Background: Beige Savage Universal Paper Background • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85mm 1.2 • ISO: 400 • Shutter Speed: 1/800 • Aperture: 2.0

STEP 3 Mirror Tile

TIP

Vary the distance of the tile to the subject. When the tile is very close to the subject, the reflections are smaller and more concentrated. When the tile is further from the subject, the reflections become larger and rounder, as can be seen in the final photo here.

If you have the background close to the subject you’ll be able to see the reflections on the background as well. Vary the distance of the background to determine how much (or how little) of the reflections will be visible. If you do not find mirror tile (link provided for online purchase) a great alternative is a disco ball! Even a small and inexpensive disco ball will do the trick.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Colorful Stripes: Bowl lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Colorful Stripes: Bowl

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight. Next, hang a fabric behind them to match or complement the color of the bowl you selected. Here I draped red fabric over a V-flat for ease of use.

STEP 2 Use the bowl close to the subject’s face to cast colorful streaks of light on the face. Try covering the entire face or just part of the face for different compositional elements.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Colorful Stripes: Bowl Setup details • Distance of product to model: 4 inches • Height of Product above eye level: 6 inches • Distance of background to model: .5 feet • Time of day: 11:15am • Background: Red fabric • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85MM 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/1600 • Aperture: 2.2

STEP 3 Plastic red bowl

Vary the angle, height and distance of the bowl. Depending on if you face the open side toward the subject or the base, the results vary drastically.

TIP The red bowl used in this example is under $10 on amazon and comes in many different colors. Consider using multiple to layer colors and experiment.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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cinefoil lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step cinefoil

STEP 1 Place the subject in direct sunlight with a white v-flat behind them.

STEP 2 Use cinefoil to cast a shadow on the subject’s face. Vary the position of the shadow and consider creating graphic lines by changing the shape and position of the cinefoil (make a V, square opening, etc).

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Cinefoil

Setup details • Distance of product to model: 7 inches • Height of Product above eye level: 6 inches • Distance of background to model: 1 ft • Time of day: 11:55 AM • Background: White V-Flat • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85MM 1.2 • ISO: 100 • Shutter Speed: 1/4000 • Aperture: 2.2

STEP 3 Add a silver reflector beneath the subject’s chin to help bounce a bit of light into the eyes for more defined catchlights and brighter shadows. Be sure to not bounce too much light or you will create unflattering up-lighting.

Cinefoil

TIP Cinefoil is a black, heat-resistant foil sheet that is typically used in theater lighting to shape and control light. It is a great tool for casting shadows on the face. Though cinefoil was utilized here, you can use cardboard, cardstock or any solid surface. The surface needs to be thin, as the edge will not be as defined with thick objects. Ideally choose a surface that is black or neutral color so it won’t bounce unnecessary colors onto the subject.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Prism Mirror Panels lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Prism Mirror Panels

STEP 1 Place the subject at the edge of the shade, just out of the direct sunlight. In this example there is a covered area overhead (scaffold) and lots of bounced light to give soft, even lighting on the face. Use a white v-flat behind the subject as a clean high key background.

STEP 2 Use the panels of the mirror to bounce highlights back onto the subject by placing the mirror directly in the sunlight.

lighting recipe guide

creative natural light / lindsay adler

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Behind the Scenes / Step-by-Step Prism Mirror Panels Setup details • Distance of product to model: 83 inches • Height of Product above eye level: 12 inches • Distance of background to model: .5 ft • Time of day: 11:00 AM • Background: White V-Flat • Reflector: none

gear & settings • Camera: Canon EOS R • Lens: RF 85MM 1.2 • ISO: 125 • Shutter Speed: 1/800 • Aperture: 2.0

STEP 3 Mirror Panel Vase

Vary the angle of the mirrors. Some angles will produce rainbow/prism effects. Other angles will create very bright, defined columns of light (similar in shape to the panels).

TIP The mirror panel vase in this image is used as event decorations (for weddings). The website provided to purchase this vase (click the image of the product above) also includes a wide range of disco balls, mirrored surfaces, glasses vases, and other great tools for reflections.

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about the author lindsay adler Fashion photographer Lindsay Adler has risen to the top of her industry as both a photographer and educator. Based in New York City, her fashion editorials have appeared in numerous publications including Marie Claire, Numero, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and more. As a photographic educator, she is one of the most sought-after speakers internationally. Lindsay enjoys teaching on the industry’s largest platforms and most prestigious events. She has worked with some of the top brands in the photographic and related industries such as Canon and Adobe. Her client list consists of NBC, Grey, Edelman, Saatchi & Saatchi and more. A clean, bold, and graphic style has become the hallmark of her work. Lindsay is renowned for her creativity and collaborating with designers and stylists in order to create fresh looks. Lindsay’s energy and enthusiastic teaching style showcase her excitement to share her passion and knowledge with others, whether it is world-wide through prestigious platforms such as CreativeLive, KelbyOne, and the industry’s largest conferences, or through her video tutorials or her five books. She is located in Manhattan shooting fashion full time. She is honored to have been named a Canon Explorer of Light as well as a Profoto Legend of Light, and the Rangefinder Icon of the Year.

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