We are very used to seeing things lit from the top down because the sun is above us.
Understand artificial vs. natural light.“We are very used to seeing things lit from the top down because the sun is above us. Therefore, a very natural lighting scenario involves a lot of bright light coming from above you,” explains Kenton. “An example of unnatural lighting would be ghost story–type lighting where somebody has a flashlight pointed up at their face from below, casting opposite shadows. All of a sudden, that person doesn’t look the same.” Beginners are advised to strike a balance between the two and take advantage of soft light or light that’s more spread out. The best way to do this is to position your subject next to a window on a cloudy day because the clouds will diffuse the harsh light of the sun. Then you’re working with beautiful, even lighting.