NYC Portrait Lighting: Reflectors and Modifiers
Most clients think great photos need a fancy camera and a sunny day. In New York, tall buildings and changeable weather mean the modifiers your photographer brings, the big white discs and black flags, do about 90% of the work.
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The Giant Silver Reflector
Shoot midday portraits with the Manhattan Bridge behind you and the sun sits directly overhead, throwing dark shadows under your eyes. A large silver reflector bounces that sunlight back up, fills in the dark circles and puts a bright spark in your eyes without squinting.
Keep your chin slightly elevated to let the bounced light fully illuminate your face and smooth out your jawline naturally.
The Five-Foot Octabox
For corporate headshots we avoid harsh shadows and flat office lighting. A five-foot octabox gives the soft, wrapping light of a big north-facing window. It goes easy on skin and you look like you got eight hours of sleep, even if you were up prepping for a pitch.
If you wear glasses, ask the photographer to angle the octabox slightly higher to cut the glare on your lenses.
The Scrim Diffuser Panel
For a Sweet 16 or Quinceañera shoot in July, noon sun is the problem. An assistant holds a large semi-translucent fabric scrim above you and the harsh light turns soft and even, which is kind to formal dresses.
We shoot this kind of session and use these portable diffusion panels to keep your makeup fresh and matte outdoors.
The Black V-Flat
Sometimes the best modifier takes light away. We put tall black foam boards on one side of you to absorb the light bouncing off white gallery walls. The deeper shadows define your cheekbones and give the portrait a high-fashion edge.
Wear solid, textured neutrals like a gray knit sweater or a dark blazer. They suit this lighting best.
That's the inside look. Save this one for your next shoot.
And when you're ready to create something real in NYC, you know where to find us.
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