Photography Lighting: Beginner’s Guide

As a beginning photographer, you probably started out by shooting in natural light.

But, just like a photographer who masters manual mode, once you learn how to use light, you can finally use your camera any time of day or night – in any lighting conditions, to shoot anything you want.

This beginner’s guide to photography lighting will explain the different types of photography lighting. With the information you learn here, you’ll soon be on your way to using light to your advantage in your photography sessions.

Soft light vs. hard light

When we talk about hard light or soft light, we’re referring to how bright the light is or how dark the shadows are. The harshness of the contrast between light and dark. 

For example, a photo shot at blue hour is said to have soft light, whereas one shot during high noon on a cloudless day will have hard light.

Hard light is the result of directional light, like a spotlight or even the sun. It’s often undesirable in portraits. 

Large light sources produce soft light, while smaller light sources produce harder light. Distance also plays a role.

Natural light vs. artificial light

Natural light is light that is already present in nature. If you’re outside, it’s light from the sun, moon, stars, or streetlamps. If you’re inside, it’s light that’s coming in through the windows and light that’s already present in the room like a lamp, candle, or fireplace.

Many photographers make entire careers out of only shooting with natural light. However, others want to harness total control over their shooting environment, and that means using artificial light. 

Artificial light in photography could be your camera’s built-in flash, a Speedlight, or a fully equipped photo studio.

Color temperature and white balance

All light has an associated color temperature that is measured in degrees Kelvin. Warmer colors (candles and incandescent light bulbs) have a lower temperature than cooler colors. Sunlight on a cloudy day is slightly cooler. Fluorescent light is very cool, almost blue.

You can set your camera’s white balance to control how it captures the temperature of the light. 

There is no photography without light. You can be a photographer without ever picking up a flash or learning how to use photography lighting. Or using studio lighting can make you a better photographer. By mastering studio lighting, you are always in control no matter the time of day or weather conditions.