Why Natural Light Still Wins for Real-Life Portraits in the Bay Area
- jody holman
- 6 days ago
- 1 min read
Studio lighting has its place. I appreciate technical precision as much as any photographer, but when it comes to portraits that actually look like your life—your real self, on a real day—I still come back to natural light, every time.
On the Northern California coast, we are spoiled by incredible natural light opportunities: coastal fog acting like the world’s largest softbox, open shade under a tall redwood, and the late day glow of the Bay Area through a window in the afternoon. These are the conditions that smooth skin without flattening texture, shape faces without harsh contrast, and allow expressions to stay relaxed instead of performative.
Natural light matters even more for dating profile photos. Most people are uneasy in front of a camera to begin with. Add strobes and a crowded studio and you get tension. Tension shows.
Natural light creates a pace where people can breathe. During our photo session we will move, we will chat, and we will shoot while you are thinking about something other than the camera. That is where the good frames live.
Natural light photography, in. San Francisco or elsewhere, is not trendy, it is honest—and honesty converts to more authentic photography.
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