Creating Dramatic Portraits Using Lace

Photography Tips  •  Portrait Photography

Introducing shadows in your shots is a great way of creating a more dramatic look. It adds a punch to an otherwise flat image and makes it more flattering. This is why it can be a good idea to search for ways to add shadows intentionally. And using lace is one of the easiest ways to do it. In this interesting video, professional photographer Vanessa Joy with Adorama demonstrates how you can play with shadows using lace either with natural light, or by using off-camera flash:

Because lace has interesting patterns created by gaps, placing it right in front of your subject’s face when it’s bright outside, will show well-defined shadows on their face. The further you move the lace away from their face, the softer the shadow becomes. If you’re working when there’s no sun, you have the flexibility of mimicking it using flash.

Do you have some lace lying around? If you do, give this technique a try. You’ll be surprised with how easily it can make your portraits more interesting.