Natural vs. Supplementary Lighting
Photographers have different preferences when it comes to lighting. Photo sessions are always unique in requirements and lighting chosen for a photo session is decided by a variety of factors. Generally speaking, if you are looking to have natural-looking photos, I would recommend going with natural lighting. However, there are moments, such as low-light settings, in which you may want supplementary lighting to achieve appropriate levels of lighting.
Supplementary lighting is always used in studio, fashion, glamour photography, and popular in mainstream magazines. This lighting is used to produce photos that are crisp, clear, and have an exact amount of shadow (or lack of shadow) on the subject(s). Supplementary lighting can produce a glow to the subject in order to make them pop out more. Photoshop techniques are more manageable to work with when the photos lighting is already crisp and clear.
The difficulty with supplementary lighting is that is can be bulky and difficult to manage. You may need an assistant as well as a variety of technical material - such as wireless remotes, light umbrellas, stands for holding up equipment, and many styles and sizes related to the amount of lighting desired. There is more attention to detail needed when working with supplementary lighting outdoors – as you move locations during the session, you will need to readjust the lighting according to different settings and always be mindful of changes in local lighting.
While there are a lot of benefits to supplementary lighting, it may be more hassle than it’s worth due to the potential amount of time required for trail and error when finding the right levels of lighting for each location. Studio lighting would be the most convenient location for supplementary lighting. Not only is it required to get the best photos within a studio, it’s also the most stable environment for lighting – meaning you will not have to keep changing the lighting often, if at all.
Some photographers prefer to be “natural light” photographers. This produces the most natural results and it’s best for beginner photographers who need to focus on the organization in creating a “good-looking” photo rather than getting caught up in additional details. Natural lighting works great, especially during the “golden hours” of photography. The golden hours are approximately one hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset.
I prefer working with natural lighting as often as possible. I like the results from natural looking photos. Post-processing programs such as Lightroom and Photoshop can do a lot to adjust and balance a photo without the supplementary lighting. Once you become familiar with those programs, I would recommend doing as much as you can by computer to create a great balance instead of trying to find the proper balance with additional lighting. It can be easy to lose the “in-the-moment” times with your subjects if you take too long to try and make everything perfect.
Once you become more familiar with organizing the way you want your photo to look, then you can begin to experiment with different lighting techniques. For further related reading into natural lighting and the best times for photography, read The Golden Hour of Photography. For further learning about post-processing programs, please read Advice On Using Lightroom or Photoshop.
