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Use windowlight

Do not underestimate the versatility of windowlight for shooting portraits. Although you can never predict its intensity or quality, you can use almost any form of windowlight to take effective pictures. On a bright day, the light can be strong and directional, but is easily diffused using a net curtain or translucent white material, while the soft, diffused light of an overcast day is ideal for flattering portraiture. If you are shooting at home, study the course of the sun over a day so you can get a good idea of which window it is best to work from at different times of the day. When shooting a subject by windowlight, their proximity to the glass will influence the contrast between highlights and shadows, while the angle and position of the subject will determine which areas fall in light and which in shade.

FLATTERING WINDOWLIGHT

A more directional light here would have revealed the subject’s skin texture, but the soft light coming through net curtains to her left has bathed her in a flattering light that smooths out some of her wrinkles and softens the skin. Shooting from a slightly higher viewpoint meant the subject had to look up slightly, which ensured that the brim of her hat did not block out light from illuminating her eyes. A beaming smile rounds of a simple but very pleasing portrait.

Canon EOS 10D, 28–70mm f/2.8 lens, 1/60 sec at f/2.8, ISO 400.