{"id":81166,"date":"2022-04-05T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-05T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=81166"},"modified":"2022-07-25T14:22:32","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T18:22:32","slug":"light-and-airy-photography-tips-techniques-and-examples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/light-and-airy-photography-tips-techniques-and-examples\/","title":{"rendered":"Light and Airy Photography Tips, Techniques and Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Often described as whimsical and dreamy in appearance, light and airy photography has become a popular go-to for photographers across several genres, including engagement, wedding, newborn, maternity, and family photography. This high-key style takes advantage of soft, bright light, and it has a flattering effect on subjects. People also associate the brightness of light and airy images with happy vibes. This generally complements the content of the photos as well. To help you master this style, I\u2019ve compiled a short list of light and airy photography tips and techniques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is Light and Airy Photography?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In basic terms, light and airy photos use low contrast and flat lighting to soften and minimize shadows. This results in more flattering portraits, especially for close-ups or headshots, as fewer shadows also reveal fewer blemishes. Colors in light and airy photos typically fall on the lighter and more neutral side. Although, bright colors can be used to pop and draw attention to the subject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While most people associate light and airy pictures with natural light photography, we can also use natural light or flash. We\u2019ll discuss this more when we cover gear and light and airy photography techniques below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Light and Airy Photography Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
  1. Gearing Up <\/a><\/li>
  2. Choosing a Time & Location <\/a><\/li>
  3. Setting Exposure <\/a><\/li>
  4. Using Light Direction <\/a><\/li>
  5. Editing for the Light and Airy Look<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Light and Airy Photography Tips, #1: Gearing Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    When it comes to shooting light and airy photography, you don\u2019t need any specific camera to capture great shots. Film photographers create incredible examples of light and airy shots. Those using smartphones can deliver amazing results as well \u2014 especially with a little work in post. That said, using the latest \u201chigh-tech\u201d gear can simplify your workflow and give you more flexibility when editing. In fact, I only upgrade gear when my equipment is maxed out in what I want to do with it. If I can do I want more easily with updated features, that\u2019s when I consider making a purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Camera Body & Lens Options<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    In terms of ideal gear for shooting light and airy photos, I would recommend any newer mirrorless bodies from Canon, Nikon, or Sony. There are other great camera bodies<\/a> out there from other makers as well. My current favorite setup is a Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless<\/a> Camera<\/a> with a Canon RF 28-70mm f\/2 L USM Lens<\/a>. Again, this is ideal but not necessarily affordable for all photographers. For this style of portraiture, use the camera you have on hand \u2014 ideally one that allows you to capture RAW files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Lenses<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Perhaps more important than the camera body is the lens. You can use your smartphone camera if that is all you have, but using a prime lens with a wide aperture is ideal. One of the most affordable primes you can get is Canon\u2019s famous \u201cnifty fifty,\u201d or 50mm f\/1.8 lens<\/a>. The reason for using a prime lens is that it will allow you to get tack-sharp shots at wider apertures, which in turn will give you a shallow depth of field and help separate your subject from a softer background. If you don\u2019t have access to a prime lens, however, you can also close the distance between your camera and your subject and increase the distance between your subject and the background. A higher focal length lens (e.g., 50mm, 85mm, 105mm, etc.) will help here, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Lighting and Light Modifiers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    A lot of photographers stick with natural light to capture light and airy photos, which is fine. For the most part, as long as you choose a suitable time and location (and understand how to use light direction to your advantage, all of which we\u2019ll discuss later), natural light will suffice. When working with natural light, a 5-in-1 reflector<\/a> should provide all you need in terms of modifying the light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    On occasion, however, you might find that the lighting is less than ideal, or you’ll run out of time and the sun will dip below the horizon. In those instances, it helps to take along a bit of flash power to recreate golden hour<\/a>, or more specifically, golden hour. It helps to have a couple options to cover various scenarios, such as adding a kick of light indoors or recreating the sun, as I mentioned. Here are a couple suggestions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Shooting Indoors<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    You won\u2019t need to add too much light when shooting indoors. In fact, a basic speedlight with 50-60 watt seconds of power should do. Check out options from Flashpoint<\/a>, Profoto<\/a>, or your camera\u2019s brand, depending on your budget. Just bounce the light off the ceiling or walls (assuming they\u2019re white) or use an umbrella or softbox to help soften the light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Recreating the Sun<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Overpowering the sunlight on an outdoor shoot will require a bit more power. For this light and airy photography tip, I recommend picking something with something closer to 500-600 watt seconds of power, which could be a couple Flashpoint eVOLV 200 Pros<\/a> or an XPLOR 600 Pro<\/a>, or comparable units from other brands. Be sure to take along a portable-yet-sturdy stand<\/a> and a reflector<\/a> as well, to help push more light. If you don\u2019t have an assistant, be sure to place some sandbags or even your camera bag against the light stand to keep it steady.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tip 2: Choosing a Time & Location<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"light<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    You may have noticed a pattern by now with mentions of shooting around golden hour. Golden hour, which typically lasts for about an hour after sunrise and an hour before sunset, provides a nice soft and warm light source with a low angle that helps reduce harsh shadows associated with the type of \u201chard light\u201d you\u2019d find around noon. For outdoor shoots, golden hour really is the golden ticket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In addition to choosing a great time to capture light and airy photos, you\u2019ll also need to choose a suitable location. First, if you\u2019re shooting around golden hour, you may find that the hour ends sooner than expected when shooting around buildings or hilly areas. Wide open spaces or places with large swaths of solid shade – as opposed to dappled lighting, which you\u2019ll want to avoid – will work best. If you\u2019re shooting around buildings, look for light colored walls or open spaces to frame your subject against. And finally, if you\u2019re indoors, look for a nice window to place your subject near.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Light and Airy Photography Tips, #3: Setting Exposure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"Presets
    Photos used with permission from Lin & Jirsa Photography<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    As the name suggests, these photos will be light and airy, meaning you\u2019re going to lean towards the brighter side when setting your exposure. Light and airy photos are known for being somewhat \u201cblown out,\u201d meaning we lose a bit (or a lot) of detail in the highlights, but we really don\u2019t need to overdo it to get a great shot in this style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Highlight Alert and Histogram<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"
    High key image (left), Highlight alert enabled (center), Histogram (right)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    One of the first light and airy photography tips for not blowing out details that you want to keep involves using your highlight alert and histogram. Enabling these features and checking them often will help you capture bright photos that retain an adequate amount of details. The highlight alert will show where you\u2019ve blown out any highlights, and the histogram will let you know when you\u2019ve blown out or clipped any shadows or highlights as well. When used in tandem, these two features can mean the difference between a keeper and an undeliverable image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    I\u2019ve already mentioned using a prime lens for using a wider aperture, which means we\u2019re going to want to shoot as close to wide open as possible, and then adjust our other settings accordingly. There\u2019s no fixed formula as lighting conditions vary, but with aperture set as our priority, we can then set our shutter speed to freeze motion (or not) and keep our ISO low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    White Balance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    You can always dial in white balance during post, and in fact your editing style may require a color shift, but it\u2019s best to get it right in-camera whenever possible. Light and airy photos tend to be bright white with a neutral tone and lean toward the warmer side. Check out this guide<\/a> for a more in-depth look at understanding white balance and getting it \u201cright\u201d for your shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tip 4: Using Light Direction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Understanding light direction is one of the most important things we can learn as photographers, whether we\u2019re shooting light and airy or dark and moody portraits. For natural light sessions, for example, placing the sun directly behind our subjects or directly behind the camera (facing the subjects) can make a drastic difference, but both methods can be used for creating light and airy photos. Or, if the sun is directly overhead, we can still capture light and airy photos when we place our subjects in the shade. Allow me to demonstrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Natural Light<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \"light
    Photo used with permission from Wedding Maps<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    With your subject\u2019s back to the sun (or main light source), you\u2019ll likely need to bump your exposure to adequately expose for your subject\u2019s skin. This will automatically create a brightly lit picture. Again, to ensure you don\u2019t go too far with blowing out your highlights, refer to your highlight alert and histogram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"flat
    The exposure has been lowered, but the lighting is flat and perfect for a light and airy edit<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    With the sun directly behind us, golden hour and the subjects made capturing this bright and airy photo a breeze. Compared to other light and airy photography tips featured here, this technique works best for candid poses when the subject is not facing the sun. Otherwise, you might capture a lot of squinty portraits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Light
    Edited with Visual Flow Presets<\/a> > Crush Pack > Soft Light<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    When shooting your subjects in the shade, it\u2019s important to watch out for (and avoid) dappled lighting, unless you\u2019re intentionally using it for effect. Solid, even shade generally works best. Next, find an angle that places your subjects against a brighter background, ideally with the sun to their backs, dial in your settings as mentioned above, and capture some great pics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Flash<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \"light<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    In the session featured above, we had been shooting a series of maternity portraits with the sun peeking through the trees, and it created a nice rim light on the subjects. After about 20 minutes, however, the sun disappeared behind the hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Behind<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    I set up a Profoto B1 on a light stand and placed it about 30 feet behind the couple. I didn\u2019t have a reflector to spread light across the scene, so I used a ring mount from a softbox. It wasn\u2019t ideal, but it got the job done. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"light
    Before and after, with and without flash – Photo used with permission from SLR Lounge<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    In another example above, we used a similar technique. Here, you can clearly see what a difference the the added light made (with a bump in exposure in post). It still looks like a naturally lit light and airy photo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Light and Airy Photography Tips, #5: Editing for the Light and Airy Look<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    The easiest way to edit light and airy photos is to get it close to right in-camera. Then, you can apply a suitable preset. Many light and airy photos share a similar color scheme with pastel color grading, but it’s not a must. The same is true for adding a filmic grain. You can get great shots with or without it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And now for the post-production step of our light and airy photography tips. Editing plays a major role in creating this style of photography. Remember what we said at the top about low contrast and such. With powerful editing software like Lightroom, you can fine-tune your image and prep it for print or digital consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Creating Your Own Light and Airy Preset<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \"presets
    Before and after using a “light and airy” preset – Photos used with permission from SLR Lounge<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    If you don\u2019t have any presets, you can always make your own. But first, you\u2019ll need to know which adjustments to focus on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tips for Making Your Own Presets<\/h4>\n\n\n\n