Portrait Photography At Night: Continuous Light and Flash

[Sydney Bray]

Equipment Used:​

Camera: Canon EOS R5

Lens: Canon RF28-70mm F2 L USM

Lighting: Nanlite Full Color Led Wand

Team:​

Photographer: Sal Cincotta

Model: Alonna Gibson

Makeup & Hair: Brandi Patton, ReFine Beauty

FAQ​

Why use continuous light for night portraits?



Continuous light lets you see its effect while you’re setting up, so you can adjust its direction and watch how it falls on your subject and the scene. It also makes it easier to spot stray light and try different angles or poses without taking a test photo after every adjustment.

How can I use flash for a night portrait?



Start by setting your camera exposure for the background, using manual mode and adjusting until the scene looks the way you want. Your subject may still look dark at this point; add flash and adjust its power until the subject is properly lit.

What can I do if my camera won’t focus on a face in the dark?



Turn on the flash’s modeling lamp to give the camera more light to find the subject’s eye. If your light doesn’t have a modeling lamp, you can use a phone flashlight to help illuminate the face.

How can I use a location to improve a night portrait?



Look for lines, shapes, and reflections that can lead the viewer’s eye toward your subject or add interest to the frame. The train’s lines draw attention toward the model, while reflections add another layer to the images.

How do I avoid a bright hot spot when lighting a subject?



Avoid aiming the light directly at the ground near your subject, since that can create a bright spot. Instead, feather the light upward and aim the brightest part of the beam away from the ground for softer illumination.

What camera settings were used in the examples?



The examples show an aperture of f/2.0, shutter speeds ranging from 1/100 to 1/250, and ISO settings of 200 or 800. The settings vary between images, so use them as examples from this shoot rather than fixed settings for every night portrait.

Portrait Photography At Night: Continuous Light and Flash​

Night portraits give you a chance to combine dramatic locations, interesting reflections, and carefully placed light. In this shoot at Union Station, the trains provided strong leading lines, while a silver outfit caught the light and reflected the surroundings. Both continuous light and flash can work well in this setting, and each offers a different way to shape the final image.

Why Use Continuous Light for Night Portraits?​

Continuous light is helpful because you can see its effect as you work. With flash, you take a picture to check the result. With continuous light, what you see is what you get, making it easier to adjust the light’s direction and notice how it falls on your subject and the scene.

For this shoot, we used a Nanlite wand with a softbox-style attachment and a scrim. The light can also produce different colors, including full RGB color, which gives you room to experiment. It is a straightforward tool to use and can be a practical addition to your camera bag.

Continuous light also makes it easier to move quickly between compositions. Try different angles and poses while watching how the light interacts with the location. In this case, the light brought out the shine in the silver outfit and added to the reflections around the train.

Keep an eye on light spill. Since continuous light is visible while you shoot, you can spot stray light and adjust before it distracts from the portrait. Check the background and nearby surfaces as well as the subject.




f/2.0 @ 1/250, ISO 800 f/2.0 @ 1/200, ISO 800

How to Use Your Location for Night Portraits​

Look for lines, shapes, and reflections that can guide the viewer’s eye. At Union Station, the train created leading lines that drew attention toward the model. Reflective details in the environment added another layer to the images.



f/2.0 @ 1/200, ISO 800


Small changes in pose and direction can give you several different looks in the same location. Try having your subject face the light, look away from it, or turn their body to change the shape of the portrait. Watch the images as you work and build on the angles that suit the scene.



f/2.0 @ 1/200, ISO 800



Always consider safety when choosing a pose or position, especially around trains, platforms, or other obstacles. You can make a compelling portrait by using the setting creatively without asking your subject to take unnecessary risks.

How to Use Flash for Night Portraits​

Flash is another effective option for Portrait Photography At Night. A simple approach is to expose for the background first, then add flash to light your subject.

• Start with your camera in manual mode.
• Adjust the exposure until the background looks the way you want it to.
• In the example, the camera started at ISO 200, with the aperture wide open.
• The shutter speed was adjusted to retain detail in the scene.

At this stage, the background may be visible while your subject remains dark. That is expected. Add the flash and adjust its power until the subject is illuminated. The two steps are simple: expose for the scene, then expose for your subject.



If your camera has trouble focusing on a face in a dark scene, turn on the flash’s modeling lamp. A phone flashlight can help if your light does not have one. The extra light gives the camera a better chance of finding the subject’s eye.




f/2.0 @ 1/100, ISO 200 f/2.0 @ 1/100, ISO 200

How to Avoid Hot Spots in Portrait Photography​

When an assistant holds the light, avoid pointing it directly at the ground near your subject. That can create a bright hot spot. Try feathering the light upward instead. The center of the beam is the brightest part, so aiming it away from the ground can help create softer light on your subject.

Both continuous light and flash can help you create striking night portraits. Use the background to guide your composition, watch where the light falls, and experiment with reflections to make the location part of the photograph.