Creating Soft Light For Portraits With Just One Light!

In this blog, I’m going to take a look at the world of soft light beauty portraits, and I’m going to show you how to create your own using a single light.

Why Choose Soft Light?

But before we get into the gear, techniques, or step-by-step guides, let's discuss what makes a soft light beauty portrait and why it's a go-to choice for professional photographers.

Essentially, the harsher the light, the more contrast it creates, and the more it emphasises every little detail and texture on the skin. This isn't ideal for most people, as we all have some imperfections. Think of it like photographing a mountain range at sunset—every ridge and shadow becomes pronounced. The same thing happens with people's faces; the sharper light can highlight any and all imperfections.

So, how do we counteract that? That's where beauty lighting comes into play. Soft light is ideal for portrait photography because it minimises shadows, smooths out skin imperfections, and produces a gentle, even illumination that flatters the subject.

This style of lighting wraps around the subject, creating a natural look that is often associated with beauty and fashion photography. But how do you create that effect with only one light? Let’s explore the techniques that can help you achieve it.

Lighting Setup

So what we want is a large, soft light source, and for most of my pictures, I use an AD300 Pro with a medium Octabox. You can choose a smaller or larger diffuser but it’s all relative to your subject, at the end of the day. You don’t have to stick to just an Octabox either. Beauty dishes and even simple reflectors are also a great option, but the key is to ensure that the lighting is even, and sometimes even flat, to achieve the desired look.

Now, I think it’s important to stress that your single light source can be a strobe, a continuous LED, or a simple speedlight. The most important factor is that you have full control over the intensity of it.

As for your diffuser, you can use an Octabox, a Softbox, a beauty dish, or even an umbrella. The role of the diffuser you use, is to soften the light that falls on your subject. The larger the diffuser the softer the light will be, but again this is all relative to your subject.

Camera Settings

First things first, make sure you are in manual mode, and this is important. Whenever I’m using strobes, I’m always in manual mode because it makes life easier. Next, dial in your settings for the pictures you want to create. Typically, I’ll set my shutter speed first, at 1/200, then I’ll set my ISO at 100 and then I’ll experiment with f-stop to create a variety of pictures. Traditionally, for a portrait session, using strobes I’d set the f-stop at 7.1 but I might go down to 2.8, if I want to add more depth to the background. It’s a personal choice and it comes down to the style of picture that you want to create but typically my settings would be 1/200, ISO 100, f-stop 7.1.

 Technique 1: Using a Softbox or Octabox

A Softbox or an Octabox is one of the easiest and most effective ways to create soft lighting. Here’s how to do it.

Position the Softbox: Place the Softbox or Octabox at a 45-degree angle to the subject’s face, about two to three feet away. This creates soft shadows on the far side of the face, giving a natural three-dimensional look  without being too harsh.

Adjust the Height: Position the Softbox slightly above the subject, angles downwards. This mimics natural light coming down from above, such as window light or sunlight. It also helps in reducing any unflattering shadows under the eyes or chin.

Feather the Light: Feathering means angling the light so that the softest part hits the subject rather than the brightest centre. This creates a more even light, minimising hot spots and creating a smoother transition between light and shadow.

 Technique 2: Using a Beauty Dish for Controlled Softness

A beauty dish can be a great alternative for creating soft light with a bit more contrast. While it's often seen as a more focused light source, it can still produce beautifully soft results with the right approach. 

Distance Matters: Position the beauty dish closer to the subject for softer light. The closer the dish, the softer the light appears because it becomes larger relative to the subject. 

Add a Diffuser Sock: Most beauty dishes come with an optional diffuser sock that fits over the front.This will soften the light even more, making it suitable for beauty portraits where you want to smooth out skin textures. 

Angle for Best Results: Similar to the softbox, placing the beauty dish at a slight downward angle from above will enhance the natural feel of the light and avoid harsh shadows under the chin.

 Technique 3: Using Natural Reflectors with a Bare Light Source

If you don't have a softbox or beauty dish, you can use a bare light source, like a flash or continuous LED, along with natural reflectors in your environment. Here's how:

Find a Light-Coloured Wall: Position your subject near a light-coloured wall or surface. Aim the bare light source towards the wall, which will act as a natural reflector and bounce the light back onto your subject, creating a soft, diffused light. 

Bounce the Light off a Ceiling: This works best in rooms with white or light-coloured ceilings. Point the light source upwards, allowing the ceiling to reflect the light back down onto the subject. This method is great for creating an evenly lit portrait with minimal shadows. 

Adjust the Intensity: Since light is bouncing off a larger surface, you may want to increase the power of your light source to ensure the subject is well-lit. Adjust the distance between the light, wall, and subject to find the perfect balance. 

The Role of Distance in Softness

When using any of these techniques, remember that distance plays a crucial role in the quality of the light. The closer the light source is to the subject, the softer the light will appear. This is because a closer light source appears larger, relative to the subject, creating a more even spread of light. If you want or need a slightly harsher light, move the light source further away, but be mindful of the shadows this will create. 

Final Thoughts - Perfecting the One Light Setup

Creating soft light portraits with just one light is a testament to how a minimal setup can still produce stunning results. Whether you're using a softbox, a beauty dish, or leveraging natural reflectors, the key is to control how the light falls on your subject and adjust your technique based on their features and desired outcome. 

With just one light, you can achieve beautiful, flattering results that highlight your subject naturally and elegantly. This minimalist approach reduces setup time and equipment costs, making it accessible for photographers at any level. Ultimately, using one light can deliver powerful results, proving that you don't need complex setups to capture stunning, professional-quality portraits. 

If you want to take your photography skills to the next level, check out the Perfect Picture Program. In it, you’ll learn all about my SIMPLE system, which will help you start taking great pictures immediately with the camera you already own.