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In this video Lee Morris teaches how to take portraits of people on pure white backgrounds without losing contrast.
Profoto B10 Plus
Profoto OCF II Gel Holder:
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Profoto Umbrella
Profoto Air Remote
In this video Lee Morris and Patrick Hall have another photography competition but this time the rules are a bit different. Lee is forced to shoot with the iPhone 12 pro and Patrick gets to use a professional DSLR. Both photographers are allowed to use the Profoto B10 to light their subject.
Both photos were uploaded to Fstoppers ( and the community was simply asked to vote on their favorite. Surprisingly, 55% of photographers preferred the photo taken on the iPhone.
Gear used in this video:
Nikon D850:
Tamron 24-70mm:
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Comments
40 responses to “How to Photograph Portraits on PURE WHITE”
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I tried a simple 1-light(speedlight with light through umbrella) on a white background bjt i am getting ghosting(shadow) right beside the model. What could be the problem?
The problem I have with these videos is that you already knew having your subject to close to the background will SPILL LIGHT… I think the better teaching moment is just go right into the setup instead of going through all these failed attempts… Give the impressions that you don't know what you're doing.. reverb though I know trust you know…ijs
so complicated for the foreground lighting. this would have been a lot simpler and better with just a large softbox with better catchlights softer highlights and also better controlled white balance.
Wouldn't the Super White backdrop be a better option and eliminate the lighting issues?
Can anyone tell me what type of stand. He is using behind the subject?
this is so complicated…
White walls also keeps the color balance from being effected by the wall color.
Awesome thanks alot! But i would have liked to your lens and settings also:)
Unusual approach but it works. For these types of portraits I would use a softbox or beauty dish probably 100% of the time, but this seems to work too. This video should have been titled “How to shoot portraits without a modifier”.
the model is so beautiful, and you looks like a tom brady ;P
Love your content. Hope all is well in the East Coast of the Island. Saludos!
pathetic. $1600 x 3 worth of equipment to make this shot. Good luck guys.
❤👌
And again another example of why I don’t subscribe… Your sponsored from 10 different angles why do you need so many commercials.
Thanks for sharing. Btw, the model looks gorgeous!
Really helpful, appreciate the way you presented this tutorial 👏👏👏
she is beautiful…
nice demo and very pretty young woman 🙂
Can you please do similar video for PURE BLACK especially for portraits, Products? TIA
Congrats. But …why music??? Very boring….
Great stuff. I appreciate the step-by-step adding of the lights and fine tuning the shot. Very helpful. Thanks!
Interesting add, the third light towards the ceiling, though I can't imagine myself choosing this option over a large softbox. Maybe if I can't use it for some reasons and have a low white ceiling…
I appreciate the educational content, but allow me a question here.
Did you guys film this on an iPhone?
Great tutorial. I'd love a similar video on high contrast, form sculpting, low key photography.
Three B10's to get a shot like that… hmm. You can use 2 $50 YN flashes, one with an umbrella and get better results for 5% of the cost. Even getting the reliable 2 Godox AD200's and a decent softbox for 20% of the cost will provided better results than this…
Luminar is taking over now ☺️☺️☺️
I have to renew my son's bus pass and they require an updated picture on a white back ground and i hade a hard time getting a good result but this tut help me out perfectly, thank you.
1:57 has always been my #1 issue! I want pure white but dang if it doesn’t always kill the crisp sharp edges of the subject, even when I pull them farther away.
Nice video, but that's not high key. Because the backround is pure white the photo is not high key, and if it is black it isn't necesarily low key
Very concise tutorial! I'll share that with people who are struggling with getting contrast. BTW if you don't want to blast the background with light to make it pure white, I have a free action to make the almost-white background pure white: http://photoshop-plugin.com/White.php
Very interesting take, without any modifier.
Nice vedio ,also make a vedio on low key photography
Most of us dont have three lights available ~ So I wonder why you didnt use a modifier / soft box / on the key light for soft skin & shadows. Soft box & hard light on the background would have done it….
Since you guys did high key can you do low key too
Wasn’t your goal to eliminate the shadow under the model’s chin or did you just want to lighten it? At any I think the shadow under the chin is still noticeable/distracting for me. Tnx for sharing the tips I now need a larger studio :-)))
When you use a white ceiling as you are doing (love it, btw!), do you suggest more of a flat or gloss sheen? Awesome results!
Nice tutorial but it looks very very very very veeeeeery flat. I get the point of the video isnt the light on the model, but you could move it off axis to give at least some direction. Looks almost like a on camera flash 🙂 great tips either way
Solid tut
Fixed it lol