How to get the Best Light for In-Home Sessions 

The Best Light for In-Home Sessions

Today I want to share how to capture the best light for in-home sessions. We all know how important lighting is for photos!  After photographing several In-home sessions, I’ve discovered the how to get the best lighting that I love! 

1. Side Light

The first thing I do when I arrive at an in-home session is look for side light. I find the open windows, and then I place clients either to the left or right of the window. It creates a really nice depth with the highlights and the shadows. However, one thing to look out for is the fall off on really cloudy days, because it can get pretty dark on the side that’s not towards the window. 

Bonus Tip:

On overcast days, turn the client’s feet 45° towards the window to get a little more light or even coverage of light over their face.

2. Direct Light

The second light that I look for is direct light. This is where the window is hitting the clients directly from the front. It creates a really even and soft look, which I love. I suggest keeping the client within about six feet of the window. This helps elevate any harsh shadows.

3. Backlight

The third type of light that I look for is backlighting.  I love backlighting, but I only use it if the space I am shooting in is an extremely bright space. Otherwise you can end up with a lot of haze even though you’re inside, which is not very flattering, unless you have very light walls and floors, and even light furniture and clothing to reflect that light back to the clients.  Backlighting is great and I love it, but only if there is a ton of light to work with. 

This is how I get the best lighting during in-home sessions, whether I’m in the laundry room, or a bedroom, living room, or kitchen.   Wherever I’m at, these are the three types of light that I will look for in order of my preferences.

I hope these tips on how to get the best light during in-home sessions helped you! If you have any questions about these various types of lighting, or if I can be of any help, you can always contact me!