So You Haven’t Got a Studio to shoot your portraits in, have you ever thought of a Daylight Studio!

Let Me Explain: I know of a studio in London. The building faces North, all of the roof and north facing wall of the studio is constructed in glass. There are roller blinds that can shut out part or all areas to control the light you need.

Now That’s All Very Nice; I hear you say, so lets consider an alternative way of getting round owning a studio in London!

But First, Let Me Tell You a Quick Story, about the Managing Director of the advertising studios where I was an apprentice. He talked about the "wonderful northern light".

At the time, I believed that he was a little crazy, but years later I proved time and time again that this type of soft daylight, without the sun coursing unwanted shadows, was one of the most successful ways of shooting head shots and fashion.

How Are We Going to get around this problem. Well, lets put aside the idea of having your own daylight studio in London, and consider the alternative way of achieving these results.

It’s So Simple: You will kick yourself for not thinking of it sooner. However, you are limited to fine, warm or mild weather conditions.

This Is What You Will Need: A fine Summers day with NO wind, a camera and tripod, a chair and table and three pieces of white card, size 1mtr.x70cm.

Location: Outside, in the shadow of the building, preferably with open space or white or light neutral colored walls around you.


ProTip Check Which Direction the majority of the light is coming from, this in effect is your MAIN light. Seat the model to take advantage of this soft directional light, as you would when working in a studio with a main light. Only difference here is that you are moving the model around to suite the light, and not moving the light around to suite the model.

1. Suspend a Piece of White Card: Behind the model as a plain background.

2. If you have a table or a box or something, place a white card flat on the table, as close to the model as possible.

3. Place a white card as a reflector, on the opposite side that most of the daylight is coming from and... "Hey Presto" - your daylight studio.


The Results Will Astound You, and if your shooting a pretty model you will surely impress her too.

This Technique works best with Black and White film and will give you those "classic high-key" Images that we’ve almost forgotten about from the 60’s and 70’s.

ProTip Find a good B/W Lab to process your shots, it’s worth paying a little extra for this work. It’s also good if you can talk to the lab assistant to explain that you are looking for high-key images, not dark or gray prints. If you have the right lab, they will quickly understand what your driving at. If they’re still nor sure, ask them to go on-line and check out "Portrait Studio" at: www.photorog.com

Dose This Work as Well in Color: It can do but you need to modify the instructions above slightly. Because of the soft nature of the light, sometimes it’s an idea to use a ‘Black Card’ on the opposite side of the of the white card reflector, to give shape to the face, so that the color film can pick up more contrast. In any case try it both ways, simply because I can’t predict how your lighting will finally look.Check out the thumbnail image top right.

Be Professional: Use a tripod and secure your white card with strong tape to withstand a sudden gust of wind. Improvise, for example the support for the background on some of the shots shown on this page was simply a garden chair and a broom. You can’t get more basic than that, can you. You could also add the garden rake as well!

OK. Go To It: Impress me, send some of your results in, who knows I might publish one or two for you. Best of luck.

Check Out bottom right Image sent to us by 'PhotoRog member' Gili Istrin.

Camera: Canon EOS. Film Stock: 35mm. Ilford FP4 125 ASA. and Fujifilm Sensia 100 ASA.

photos: Roger Lewis © '2001/8' "The Classic Collection"
(from the top) - #'s. cc0021, cc0022, cc0023, cc0073.  

Photo Gili Istrin      

Gili takes our "Daylight Studio" technique to a new level. Gili was also placed runner up in one of our previous photo contest  with the above image... I'm also proud to mention that she was one of my students. Click here To check out her web page, of her work shot on location, on this site now!