portrait photography Archives — Westcott University

Using Flash to Mimic Natural Window Light for Portraits

01/23/2026

1709

Window light for portraits is beautiful when you have it, but that is not always the case. Maybe the room has no windows, or the light is hitting from the wrong side, or the sun has already set.

Three creative treatments with color gels

3 Creative Ways to Use Gels in Portrait Photography

Ashley Boring

09/26/2025

Lighting Tips

1461

When you want to capture bold, dramatic portraits, gels unlock a world of creative possibilities. Few tools are as effective or as fun for transforming the mood of an image.

Creating Moody Portraits: Studio Lighting Breakdown

Ashley Boring

06/19/2025

Lighting Tips

3141

Westcott photographer Ashley Boring shares how she transformed a simple studio into a warm, painterly environment using just a few props, carefully selected backdrops, and of course, creative lighting.

Mastering Flash Photography: 5 Lighting Principles for Beginners

Panoptic Photography

08/19/2024

Lighting Tips

4538

Photography is often described as painting with light, and for good reason—light is the foundation of every photograph. Whether you’re shooting in natural light or using artificial sources like flash,...

High Fashion Maternity Portraits

Karen Dominguez

01/17/2024

Lighting Tips

3367

In our latest video, we dive deep into the art of maternity portrait photography with a high-fashion twist! In this video, Karen Dominguez shows the transformative power of lighting to elevate your maternity...

How to Capture Dramatic Portraits with High-Speed Sync

Ashley Boring

07/25/2023

Lighting Tips

5017

In this video, portrait photographer Ashley Boring goes on location to show how High-Speed-Sync on the FJ200 can help create some incredible portraits.

Learn How To Capture Beautiful Earth Tones In Your Portraits

Ashley Boring

07/25/2023

Lighting Tips

3493

In this video, Top Pro portrait photographer Ashley Boring breaks down a recent photo session where she captured earth tone portraits. Ashley works with FJ200 Strobe and FJ-X3m Trigger.

How to Create Depth with Color Gels on the Pro Light Mods

James Quantz, Jr.

05/17/2023

Lighting Tips

2891

In this video, James Quantz uses color gels and Pro Light Mods to create depth and contrast in this photo shoot. Pro Light Mods are designed to fit the Westcott Rapid Box Switch and third-party softboxes.

How to Easily Control the Light and Color Tone on Your Backdrop

Ashley Boring

02/09/2023

Lighting Tips

3888

Photographer Ashley Boring explains how to use the Inverse Square Law to control the color shade of her backdrop. Take a deeper look into the video to see how the shade of the backdrop changes with the light 3...

How to Use a Speedlight for Portraits

Ashley Boring

01/24/2023

Lighting Tips

3930

There are a lot of great benefits to using a speedlight on camera. It's a quick and easy way to add light to your scene. Using a speedlight on camera is ideal for situations where you are constantly on the...

FJ200 with the 24" Beauty Dish and FJ-X3 Trigger

Retro Photo Shoot using High-Speed Sync with the FJ-X3 Trigger

Eli Infante

10/13/2022

Lighting Tips

4347

In this video, Top Pro Eli Infante walks you through a retro-themed photo shoot using the FJ-X3 Trigger. At this on-location portrait shoot, Eli demonstrates how quick and convenient communicating with an FJ...

4 Pin-Up Portraits using Portable Flash Photography

Eli Infante

08/19/2022

Lighting Tips

6534

In this video, Top Pro Eli Infante travels all the way from Texas to capture vintage portrait photography in Bowling Green, Ohio.

FJ80 Speedlight Off Camera Night Portrait

5 Quick Tips for Capturing Night Portraits

Ashley Boring

08/12/2022

Lighting Tips

5700

Portrait photography at night can be tricky, especially when balancing the ambient light with off-camera flash. Here are a few quick tips to easily accomplish on-location lighting at night.

Behind the scenes using the FJ200 and 24" Deep Umbrella

Blending Flash with Ambient Light

Ian Spanier

07/28/2022

Lighting Tips

5051

Portable Flash Setups for Portrait Photography In this portrait photography video, Ian Spanier uses portable lighting for on-location photography to blend his flash with ambient light.

Capturing Creative Portrait Photography On-Location

Manny Ortiz

06/24/2022

Lighting Tips

5013

Portable Flash Photography Photoshoot with the Manny Ortiz Beauty Dish In this 5-minute outdoor photoshoot, portrait photographer Manny Ortiz demonstrates how to capture on-location beauty portraits using...

indoor portrait photography blending artificial lighting with ambient light

How to Balance Flash With Ambient Light for Portraits

Ashley Boring

06/10/2022

Lighting Tips

7509

Blending Ambient Light and Flash Indoors and Outdoors Lighting for both indoor and outdoor portrait photography doesn't have to be complicated.

Portrait Lighting in Challenging Locations

Ian Spanier

05/31/2022

Gear Guides

7253

In this video, Top Pro Ian Spanier is photographing a fly fisherman on location in two on-location settings with challenging lighting conditions.

Colorful & Creative Lighting for Portraits

Ashley Boring

05/19/2022

Lighting Tips

5408

In this lighting breakdown, photographer Ashley Boring works with a colorful three-light setup using portable flashes and the for a portrait shoot.

Portait Photo With FJ400 Closer And 6x6 Scrim

Comparing Light Patterns Using Scrim Jim Cine Diffusion

Ashley Boring

05/10/2022

Lighting Tips

5590

Scrims are often considered one of the most versatile modifiers. Because they have convenient removable fabric, scrims can be used as a diffuser, a black block for negative fill, a reflector, or even a net for...

The Power of Color Theory in Photography with Lindsay Adler

Lindsay Adler

04/29/2022

Lighting Tips

5964

In this video, professional portrait and fashion photographer Lindsay Adler discusses the power of color theory and how she implements color theory into her portrait work.

3 Ways to Use a Beauty Dish Switch by Manny Ortiz

Manny Ortiz

04/26/2022

Lighting Tips

6535

In this video, portrait photographer Manny Ortiz breaks down three ways to use the Westcott 36” Beauty Dish Switch. The beauty dish was designed to capture both pristine beauty headshots and full-body...

Controlling Harsh Sunlight for Glamorous Beach Portraits

Using Flash to Mimic Natural Window Light for Portraits

How to Create Multiple Portrait Looks with One Portable Strobe

How to Choose the Best Light Modifiers for Portrait Photography

Mastering Beauty Dish Portraits

Mastering Golden Hour Portraits with Off-Camera Flash

Getting Started with Newborn Photography | Lighting & Posing Tips

Using the Omega Reflector as a Shoot-Through

The Best Holiday Gifts for Photographers in 2025

Easy Portrait Lighting Setups with One, Two, and Three Lights

How to Create Window Light in Studio

Square Softboxes vs Octa Softboxes

Portrait Lighting in Challenging Locations

High-Speed Sync Portraits in Full Sun Using the FJ200 Strobe

Using Flash to Mimic Natural Window Light for Portraits

3 Creative Ways to Use Gels in Portrait Photography

Creating Moody Portraits: Studio Lighting Breakdown

Mastering Flash Photography: 5 Lighting Principles for Beginners

High Fashion Maternity Portraits

How to Capture Dramatic Portraits with High-Speed Sync

Learn How To Capture Beautiful Earth Tones In Your Portraits

How to Create Depth with Color Gels on the Pro Light Mods

How to Easily Control the Light and Color Tone on Your Backdrop

How to Use a Speedlight for Portraits

Retro Photo Shoot using High-Speed Sync with the FJ-X3 Trigger

4 Pin-Up Portraits using Portable Flash Photography

5 Quick Tips for Capturing Night Portraits

Blending Flash with Ambient Light

Capturing Creative Portrait Photography On-Location

How to Balance Flash With Ambient Light for Portraits

Portrait Lighting in Challenging Locations

Colorful & Creative Lighting for Portraits

Comparing Light Patterns Using Scrim Jim Cine Diffusion

The Power of Color Theory in Photography with Lindsay Adler

3 Ways to Use a Beauty Dish Switch by Manny Ortiz

Tagged portrait photography