Lighting is 50% of how good a photo looks. Here is everything you need to know.
You do not need expensive equipment to take great photos. You need good light. A photo taken with an old iPhone in beautiful natural light will almost always beat a photo taken with an expensive camera in bad lighting. This guide covers everything you need to know to find and use great light.
An overcast sky acts as a giant natural softbox. The clouds diffuse the sunlight evenly, eliminating harsh shadows and creating soft flattering light from all directions. Overcast days are actually ideal for portrait photos.
The hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset produces warm directional light with a natural glow. The sun is low in the sky so shadows are long and dramatic, and the warm color temperature is universally flattering on skin tones.
Standing in the shade on a sunny day, such as under a tree or the shadow of a building, gives you soft diffused light without the harsh direct sun. Look for open shade where light can still reach you from the open sky.
Sit or stand near a large window and face toward it. Natural light coming through a window is soft and directional. The larger the window the softer the light. North-facing windows give the most consistent soft light throughout the day.
Tip
Position yourself so the window is in front of you or to one side, not behind you. A window behind you creates a silhouette.
Using two light sources eliminates deep shadows. If you have one window, adding a lamp or reflector on the opposite side fills in shadows and creates more even light.
Tip
A white piece of paper or foam board on the shadow side of your face reflects window light back and fills shadows for free.
✕ Light source behind you
Creates silhouette, face goes dark
✕ Overhead indoor lighting
Harsh shadows under eyes and nose
✕ Direct flash
Flat, washed out, red eye
✕ Mixed color temperatures
Skin looks green or yellow
✕ Harsh midday sun
Squinting, harsh shadows, unflattering
✕ Too dark overall
Grainy, unclear, unprofessional
For dating profile photos specifically, soft natural light is the gold standard. It makes skin look smooth, eyes look bright, and creates a natural warmth that reads as healthy and attractive.
The worst lighting for dating photos is harsh indoor overhead lighting — this creates unflattering shadows under the eyes that make you look tired and older than you are. Bathroom lighting is the most common offender.
Best setup: outdoors on an overcast day or standing near a large window facing the light. This setup is available to everyone and costs nothing.
Browse our photo guides for dating apps and LinkedIn headshots.
Window light is the best free option at home. Sit or stand facing a large window during the day. For the best results use a north-facing window which gives consistent soft light without direct sun at any time of day.
Golden hour produces genuinely beautiful light that is hard to replicate at other times of day. The warm tones and low directional light are universally flattering. It is worth planning photo sessions around golden hour when possible.
Indoor lighting is usually the problem. Overhead lights create shadows under your eyes and nose. Mixed color temperatures from different bulbs create strange skin tones. Moving near a window makes an immediate noticeable difference.
Golden hour (one hour after sunrise or before sunset) is ideal for warm flattering light. Overcast days at any time are excellent for soft even light. Avoid midday direct sun which is the harshest most unflattering light.