Soft light
Soft light is flattering
For other examples:
Sebastião Salgado p. 45
Ryan McGinley p. 65
Inzajeano Latif p. 123
Rather than attack a subject, soft light caresses.
Richard Learoyd uses soft light to create portraits with a deeply meditative quality. In this image, see how the shadows curve around the lines of the body, their edges slowly fading rather than coming to an abrupt stop. This is the work of very soft, or ‘diffused’ light.
Portrait photographers love soft, diffused light as it draws out form and features without being severe.
Soft light is a master of mediation. It softens any hard edges and smooths surfaces. It’s a light that only flatters.
Experiment by placing your subject at different angles to the light. See how the shadows ...
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