LIGHTSCHEMESStructured lighting intelligence

Photographers with no lights, or none they want to carry

Natural light, in order

One window, then one sun. Learn to read light you did not create — and the four things you are still allowed to change: where the subject stands, what you put opposite, how big you make the source, and how hard you let it stay.

Portrait subject — Window White Bounce Portrait lighting setup.

Step 1 of 7

Window White Bounce Portrait

A window is a large soft source with a direction — put the face into it, then let a white board opposite decide how deep the shadow side falls; take that board away and the shadow cheek drops close to two stops while the lit cheek barely moves.

A side window provides soft directional daylight while a white foam board on the shadow side lifts the ratio for an even, teachable portrait. Pull the board and the shadow cheek deepens — that is what the bounce was buying.

Open the rig →

7 setups — sign in and the path remembers which you have worked.

Portrait subject — Window White Bounce Portrait lighting setup.

Start step 1

Window White Bounce Portrait

A window is a large soft source with a direction — put the face into it, then let a white board opposite decide how deep the shadow side falls; take that board away and the shadow cheek drops close to two stops while the lit cheek barely moves.

Open in Light Builder

Lab

Negative fill guide

The black half of the window lesson, in long form.

Full sequence

Work in order — each step opens the same setup in Light Builder with blackout first, then one light at a time.

  1. 1
    Portrait subject — Window White Bounce Portrait lighting setup.

    Natural Light

    Window White Bounce Portrait

    A window is a large soft source with a direction — put the face into it, then let a white board opposite decide how deep the shadow side falls; take that board away and the shadow cheek drops close to two stops while the lit cheek barely moves.

    A side window provides soft directional daylight while a white foam board on the shadow side lifts the ratio for an even, teachable portrait. Pull the board and the shadow cheek deepens — that is what the bounce was buying.

    Open in Light Builder
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7

Each link opens the setup in Light Builder — blackout first, then one light per step. Switch to Free explore or the relight studio when you want to dial sliders live.