{"id":67279,"date":"2017-12-12T00:30:11","date_gmt":"2017-12-12T08:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphonephotographyschool.com\/?p=67279"},"modified":"2020-03-16T01:35:42","modified_gmt":"2020-03-16T08:35:42","slug":"portrait-lighting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphonephotographyschool.com\/portrait-lighting\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Use Portrait Lighting To Enhance Your iPhone Portrait Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"

The iPhone’s\u00a0Portrait Lighting feature lets you add studio-quality light effects to your photos. When shooting in Portrait mode, choose a Portrait Lighting option to add a professional touch to your image. You can even add Portrait Lighting after taking your shot. Read on to discover how to create great portraits with Portrait mode<\/a> and Portrait Lighting.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

How To Use Portrait Mode<\/h2>\n

The Portrait Lighting feature requires you to use Portrait mode in the iPhone camera app<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Portrait mode is available on the new iPhone XS camera<\/a>, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR<\/a>. You’ll also find it on the\u00a0iPhone 8 Plus camera<\/a>,\u00a0iPhone X camera<\/a>,\u00a0and iPhone 7 Plus<\/a>. However, please note that the Portrait Lighting feature isn’t available on the iPhone 7 Plus.<\/p>\n

Before we launch into Portrait Lighting, we’ll look at Portrait mode. If you’re already familiar with Portrait mode, you can skip this section<\/a>. Otherwise, read on to learn about Portrait mode.<\/p>\n

Keep Your Distance<\/h3>\n

Portrait mode needs you not to be too close your subject. When you fire up your camera and swipe to Portrait mode, an on-screen prompt tells you whether you\u2019re at an acceptable distance or not. If you’re too close, too far away, or your surroundings are too dark, the camera lets you know.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

The available Portrait Lighting options will automatically appear for you to scroll through. If you\u2019re the proper distance from your subject, you\u2019ll see that particular box turn yellow and the background should become blurry. If the box is not yellow, you need to move a bit closer or farther away until it is.<\/p>\n

Keep it Simple<\/h3>\n

For the best portrait photography<\/a> results, focus on a subject that is simple. If your subject has strands of hair sticking out in all directions or a hat with a feather in it, you may notice that some parts of that hair or feather are blurred. The same is even more likely if you\u2019re using Portrait mode to take a picture of something other than a person\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

Whatever your subject is, pay particular attention to the edges of what you want to be in focus. If you don\u2019t like what you see, move around a bit (closer or farther away) until you get the look you want. If your subject is too complicated, you might not be able to get everything in focus. Your results will vary, but generally speaking \u2014 the more complex your subject, the more difficult Portrait mode will be, so remember to keep it simple.<\/p>\n

Portrait Mode Isn\u2019t Only for People Portraits<\/h3>\n

Sure, Portrait mode is used primarily for portraits of people, of course. But you can also use this mode to take pictures of anything, like your pet or even inanimate objects. In fact, if you want to practice your Portrait mode skills prior to working with friends or family, this is a pretty practical idea.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

Find something around the house, like a light bulb, vase, glass, or cup and snap some pictures of it. If you want to take it a step further, go into your favorite store and take pictures of some of their products. This will give you a little experience with Portrait mode so you have a feel for what works and what doesn\u2019t work.<\/p>\n

Stay Still<\/h3>\n

Try to remain as still as possible when you\u2019re taking a portrait. This goes for you and your subject. The less motion you have on either side of the camera, the better your results will be. You don\u2019t have to use an iPhone tripod<\/a>. Just try to eliminate a lot of excess movement.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

Portrait Lighting<\/h2>\n

In order to realize the full potential of Portrait mode, you need plenty of light. That\u2019s why Apple created Portrait Lighting. This allows you to select a lighting effect in your photo, especially when there isn\u2019t enough natural light in your environment. Portrait Lighting produces the effects of real studio lighting based on fundamental photographic principles using depth\u2011sensing cameras and facial mapping.<\/p>\n

When you select Portrait mode, the default option is Natural Light. Always remember, where there is good light, there are good pictures. So look for a well-lit area to get the best results. When you don\u2019t have good natural light, Portrait Lighting allows you to do something about it.<\/p>\n

Please note that at this time Apple says the Portrait Lighting feature is in “beta mode”. This means they’ve not finished developing – so you should expect it to have some quirks and bugs at this time. Indeed, some of the lighting effects are quite crude, as you’ll see. Hopefully Apple will keep improving this feature with each new iOS update.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at each of the five available options.<\/p>\n

Natural Light<\/h3>\n

As we just discussed, this is the best-case scenario for your perfect portrait. Find a well-lit area and you\u2019re well on your way to getting great results. Try to stay away from harsh light, however, or parts of your image might get overexposed.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

Studio Light<\/h3>\n

When you find that you need just a bit more light on your subject\u2019s face, Studio Light provides a subtle solution with some added brightness. This is a great alternative to using the built-in flash to provide more light. iPhone 8 Plus and X utilize Slow Sync Flash, which is a drastic improvement over previous flash efforts, but it should serve as a last resort. Slow Sync Flash applies a small amount of flash to freeze the subject whilst leaving the shutter open long enough to capture some of the natural ambient light for more attractive backgrounds.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

Contour Light<\/h3>\n

With Contour Light, you can add some dramatic shadows with highlights and lowlights. It\u2019s most effective if you start with a lot of natural light, otherwise your image will appear a bit dark. But it\u2019s a pretty cool effect nonetheless.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

Stage Light & Stage Light Mono<\/h3>\n

Stage Light highlights your subject\u2019s face against a deep-black background. It’s a very heavy-handed effect, however. Any success you find with this particular option will depend upon how light or dark your background is and how much contrast there is with your subject. The best results occur when you have a dark background to begin with, but your results will vary.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

Sometimes, the effect will be so bizarre, you might laugh at the end result and wonder why Apple included it in the first place. Give it a try, however, and see if you get the results you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

Stage Light Mono is the exact same process only in black and white.<\/p>\n

Editing Your Portraits<\/h2>\n

As long as you shoot your original image in Portrait mode, you can apply any of the Portrait Lighting effects afterward in the Photos app. This is a nice option to have in case you aren\u2019t happy with the lighting in your original image. You can try all the options \u2014 Natural Light, Studio Light, Contour Light, Stage Light, and Stage Light Mono \u2014 and see which works best.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

Remember, you aren\u2019t limited to the Portrait mode adjustments. Apple\u2019s built-in editing app \u2014 or any editing app for that matter \u2014 has plenty of other options to improve the lighting on your subject.<\/p>\n

Portrait Mode Selfies<\/h2>\n

If you have an iPhone X, XS, XS Max or XR, you can take self portraits in Portrait mode using the front-facing TrueDepth camera. When you use the front-facing camera, you\u2019ll get something close to the same effect you get with the rear-facing camera. Keep in mind that the front-facing camera only has 7-megapixels instead of 12.<\/p>\n

The front-facing camera does a pretty decent job of providing what Apple describes as \u201csharp foregrounds and artfully blurred backgrounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Portrait Lighting: Conclusion<\/h2>\n

If you want to take great portrait photos, Portrait mode together with Portrait Lighting will help you get there. They\u2019re not a perfect match in every situation, but by following a few tips, you can take some truly outstanding pictures.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

Remember to watch the space between you and your subject. When you\u2019re at an acceptable distance, a yellow on-screen prompt will let you know. Keep your subject as simple as possible. Try to avoid a lot of movement on either side of the camera when you\u2019re taking pictures.<\/p>\n

Ideally, you\u2019ll want to find a well-lit area with plenty of natural light. When that isn\u2019t an option, use Studio Light to strategically throw some brightness on your subject\u2019s face. You can also experiment with Contour Light and two different versions of Stage Light.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The iPhone’s\u00a0Portrait Lighting feature lets you add studio-quality light effects to your photos. When shooting in Portrait mode, choose a Portrait Lighting option to add a professional touch to your image. You can even add Portrait Lighting after taking your shot. Read on to discover how to create great portraits with Portrait mode and Portrait […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[302,298],"tags":[376,40,393,86],"class_list":{"0":"post-67279","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-iphone-camera","7":"category-tutorials","8":"tag-iphone-camera","9":"tag-light","10":"tag-portrait-mode","11":"tag-portraits","12":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nHow To Use Portrait Lighting To Enhance Your iPhone Portrait Photos<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are your iPhone photos lacking that professional touch? 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Learn how to get the best out of the iPhone's new Portrait Lighting feature.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/iphonephotographyschool.com\/portrait-lighting\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"iPhone Photography School\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/iPhonePS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-12-12T08:30:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-03-16T08:35:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"David Kindervater\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"David Kindervater\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How To Use Portrait Lighting To Enhance Your iPhone Portrait Photos","description":"Are your iPhone photos lacking that professional touch? 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