Creating Modern Studio Portraits with a Deep Umbrella

This article is courtesy of Atlanta-based portrait photographer and designer Alex D. Rogers.

Whenever the situation allows, I love to use a simple one-light setup for portraits and fashion shoots. It’s a quick and easy solution that—when paired with carefully-placed bounce cards or reflectors—adds a no-fuss simplicity to the look of my photos. One challenge I often face with this setup is the light fall-off in full-body shots. I think Westcott’s Deep Umbrella series has eliminated that problem.

These photos were all taken using the 53-inch Deep Umbrella with White Interior.

Here, the umbrella is placed about 6’ from the model. It’s mounted to the right and aimed down at a 45° angle. I’m using a white v-flat to fill in his left side. The subject is about 8’ away from the backdrop. The quality of light on my subject is great, but I love how well the backdrop is lit! The size of this umbrella also allows me to get more punch than I would by using a larger modifier this close to my subject.

First Lighting Setup

For this second shot, I placed the umbrella in the center of the frame about 6’ from my subject. The umbrella is positioned above the model and aimed down at a 60° angle. There are black v- flats on both sides to subtract light. A silver reflector was placed on the floor just outside of the frame for an additional catchlight. Once again, I was impressed with how well the Deep Umbrella lit the entire scene. The light falloff on the sides adds a great sense of depth.

Second Lighting Setup

And speaking of depth — when I placed the umbrella directly overhead and focused the light by bringing it closer to the reflective surface of the modifier, the result was shockingly dimensional. I love that the deep umbrella with white interior creates a punchy light without highlights that are too specular.