PICSPIRATION SUNDAY: Big windows can create beautiful light for portrait photos. Here is a selection from a shoot with model Werchiel.
I spent last weekend in Gdansk in Poland and took the opportunity to organize a couple of photo shoots with local models.
One shoot was with Werchiel (artist name). We agreed to stay away from studios – and instead do the shoot in the apartment I rented on Mariacka street in the old town in Gdansk.
The apartment had a huge window in the bedroom and in the afternoon it was flooded with light from the outside. I loved the light in combination with the white walls and most of the photos were taken there. My plan was to create soft portraits with a touch of sensuality.
The main light was from the window, but I also placed a large reflector on the bed to throw some of the light back into the shadows of her face. For the photos taken in the bed the reflector was replaced with a flash and a softbox directed towards the white ceiling. Since all wall as well as the bed linen were white this in my opinion created a soft and beautiful light.
Werchiel was a very nice and professional model – and I learned a lot from working with her.
Photos by the window
Most of the photos were taken by the window. Here is a selection.
A variation of the main image in this article. I liked the expression in her face on this one. The lighting is only the daylight and use of a reflector to throw some of it back into the face. Photo: John Einar Sandvand
Happy girl in the window. Photo: John Einar Sandvand
This is the photo I like best myself from the shoot. Photo: John Einar Sandvand
I tried to also make one black and white portrait from the shoot – but with some sepia tone. Photo: John Einar Sandvand
Photos on the bed
We also took a series of photos in the bed. I wanted to create a high key feeling of a girl just waking up by the sunlight coming in to her bedroom.
Morning light. A softbox directed towards the ceiling created a soft and beautiful light in combination with the daylight from the window. It has been edited using the Show White Photoshop action from amandadiaz.com. Photo: John Einar Sandvand
Morning in the bed. In editing I have let the red hair be more saturated than the rest of the image. Photo: John Einar Sandvand