Shooting Portraits in a Bedroom with a Reflector and Natural Light

Here’s an inspiring 5-minute behind-the-scenes video by photographer Irene Rudnyk, who shot a series of gorgeous portraits in a bedroom using only natural light and a reflector. This video shows what if you don’t have pricey lighting equipment, you can still do quite a bit with just window light and some creativity.

Note: Some of the portraits below and in the video above may not be work friendly.

Rudnyk prefers to lighten shadows with the reflector or in post-production rather than using external flashes. She says this is because “using natural light creates a very, very soft and beautiful look – which I really desire in my pictures.”

The method behind her backlit images against the window, some of which don’t even use the reflector and rely solely on the natural light, are something beginning portrait photographers can perhaps draw inspiration from.

Using a wide aperture of f/1.2, Rudnyk pays attention to the bokeh she’s creating with the tree outside the window. With the shoot being done at 2 pm, the sun is hitting the tree directly and creating lovely patterns in the background. It’s this attention to detail that has paid off in her final images.