These images and diagram show you how you can re-create the sense of natural light even when you are locked in your studio.

Lighting Diagram

In our photographs we have used a Lastolite box, which is normally used to provide a high-key background.

The reason that window light looks so lovely is in essence because it is a very large, very diffuse light source. To achieve the same thing naturally
then you must also create a large, diffused source.

In this case the Lastolite box is 8 feet by 7 feet. So quite a large source.
You can achieve the same effect by large reflectors – 8ft x 4ft polystyrene insulator boards will work for this.
Or you can push your strobe light into a roll of white paper and let the light reflect back.

Just to emphasise how natural this light is, I’ve treated this image to a mock cyanotype print – to invoke those bygone days of portraiture when natural light was your only choice.

Model: IvoryFlame