I never know everything. One of the things I don’t know is how to take great studio photos. I can do outside light all day long, and I have taken photos inside venues and events, but when it comes to Studio photography, especially with the lights, I lack some things and I wanted to take this summer to learn. As a photographer, I never stop learning and growing, and neither should you, even if you aren’t a photographer. I’ll share what I learned from taking a studio lighting class.
I won’t share whose class I took because frankly, I didn’t think he was a great teacher for me, but I will say it was at his house at a studio, which kind of scared me. As a black woman, I am weary about going to homes, especially homes of white people that I don’t know by myself. I was the only black woman in this class, and it already made me uncomfortable. The first half of class started with some videos that I legit fell asleep on. I think I was snoring at one point.
The 2nd half of the class, we learned some things. I learned that I am a visual learner. I knew that, but this class proved that even more. I learn by doing, not by a video showing me stuff. The teacher kind of let us do our own thing, and I was impressed by all the gear he had. After his class, I remember telling my friend I think I can learn just by renting a studio and doing some things on my own with the help of YouTube. No need to pay for a class, take that money and pay for a studio. Find a model and just play with things on your own.
I’m a natural light girl, and I have come to terms with that. I won’t say I would never do studio sessions because I will continue to learn, but I have to know who I am. I like to be free, not closed up in a small studio with hot lights.
There are some pros and cons to studio lighting vs. natural light
For studio lights….
pros
- Full control over light regardless of weather/time of day
- Consistent, repeatable results (great for headshots/branding)
- Can create dramatic or polished looks, natural light can’t always achieve
cons
- Can feel less candid/relaxed for families or kids
- Requires more gear, setup time, and space
- Less “in their world,” no environment or storytelling backdrop
Natural light
cons
- Dependent on weather and time of day (golden hour pressure)
- Less consistent — harsh midday sun, changing clouds, etc.
- Harder to control shadows/backlighting without reflectors
pros
- Feels authentic, matches the “real moments” trend clients want right now
- Great for outdoor family/lifestyle sessions, tells a location-based story
- Less equipment, more mobility
Overall, if you are doing headshots and some branding, I think a studio session is worth it.
For myself as a 75% family photographer, natural light is my thing. So the biggest lesson I learned is to stick to what you are comfortable with, but still learn and continue to learn because you never know everything. Here are some photos I took of the session.
