The benefits of natural light photography are:

Creates flattering skin tones

Quick and easy to set up in your home

Allows me total flexibility with viewpoints

Less overwhelming for babies and children

Allows photography in your natural home environment

My Style Of Photography

I specialize in taking portraits that aren’t staged in natural environments. It wouldn’t make sense to turn your home into a studio and set up studio lighting if we have a home portrait session.

My photographs are soft and gentle. Studio lighting doesn’t deliver the same effect, no matter how it’s diffused or modified. It can’t match the softness of natural light.

Flexibility Of Using Natural Light

In a family photo session, I can move around your home finding the best angles for your home. Studio lighting would restrict us to set up certain spots with studio lighting. Not being tied to studio lighting means I can make the most of your home and the space available.

I experienced this first-hand when I tested having a studio style session at home. The photographer was limited to a few places in the home, where there was enough space for the lights and reflectors. He wanted to take a photograph of us reading a book in bed, but it wasn’t possible with the angles he could get his tripod into. With natural light, I can take photographs anywhere that looks promising.

Saving Set-Up Time

Families often ask how long it’ll take me to get set up. With natural light, all I have to do is take my camera out of the bag! There’s no setup time, and no need for lots of space for light stands. If we need to move to another room, or your child needs a change of scene, I can come straight with you. There’s no need to dismantle lighting equipment and set it up again.

Here’s a simple studio lighting set-up, so you can see what’s involved:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMtnWs3-KEo

Unpredictability Of Newborns And Young Children

Babies and children don’t make the most static of subjects! They’re more than likely to turn their heads, to find their attention wandering to somewhere else around the room. Using natural light means I can move with your children, making tiny adjustments quickly to my position to get the best photographs. It also means I can adapt to their moods quickly and easily. With studio lights, I’d have to stop and adjust the angle of studio lights before moving.

Being Sensitive To Newborns And Young Children

I find natural light is much more reassuring for photographing babies and young children. It’s much easier to get used to a new person with a camera rather than the extra impact of lots of kit being set up. Young children quickly relax once they’ve got used to me being around with just my camera. This is quite a different experience than if I set up lighting stands and there are flashes going off. A studio setup can be overwhelming for small children. I find that natural light gives me a much better opportunity to capture children’s personalities than with studio lights. This can be as true for the parents too!

Using Natural Light Despite The Higher Costs

Sometimes clients ask if I don’t use studio lighting as a cost-saving exercise. The answer couldn’t be further from the truth!

Investing in lenses that are fast enough to deliver stunning portraits with natural light is seriously expensive. Each lens costs at least $1,400, and often much more.

It would be far cheaper to have basic lenses and use studio lighting instead. That’s not where my heart is, though. And in fact, I do have studio lights. I simply choose not to use them at all, because natural light gives me exactly the effect I want from my photographs.

Requests To Bring Studio Lights

Despite the above, some families just don’t feel comfortable that their home will be bright enough without studio lights. If it reassures you, I’m happy to bring studio lights with me.

I can guarantee you that I won’t use them though!

Have a look through my website – each and every photograph is taken only with natural light.

Your home won’t be any different. No matter your concerns about the lighting available, I can take stunning photographs in your home. All I need is a window!