Headshot Lighting Recipe Guide

Headshots are a staple of business for many portrait photographers. While they may seem relatively straightforward, there is actually quite a lot you can change particularly when varying the lighting. As you select your lighting you’ll need to make decisions that flatter your subject and help to communicate their personal brand.

The Headshot Lighting Recipe Guide consists of 21 ‘recipes’ for a variety of headshot lighting setups, and as with any recipe, you can add in your own twist to create something unique or catered toward your subject!

Some setups are more high key with lighter tones, lighter background and fewer shadows. Other setups are more low key with darker tones, darker background and more shadows. No one setup is better than the other. As mentioned above, the ‘right light’ depends on a combination of the mood that your subject wants to convey about themselves and the lighting that best flatters their features

How many lights do I need?

In this guide I provide you a wide range of setups with 1, 2, or 3 lights. How many lights are ‘right’ or necessary really depends on which style your client prefers, how much space you have to work with, and how much gear you own (or can rent). You can absolutely create great headshots with just one light. You can create more stylized looks with 2 or 3. I’ve even included a 4-light setup to show you what can be achieved with more strobes.

This guide is not intended to make you feel like you need to have a huge space, lots of gear, and fancy modifiers. Whatever you’ve got to work with is going to be just fine!