Stop Ruining Your Portraits (Your Light Is Too Close)

Head to https://betterhelp.com/johngress to get 10% off your first month with my paid partner BetterHelp. Therapy can be a meaningful space to reflect, grow, and create positive change in your life. Learn how light distance affects your portrait photography, including shadow softness, background exposure, and light falloff. This tutorial breaks down how to position your light correctly for full-body and close-up portraits using reflectors, softboxes, and beauty dishes. You’ll see real lighting tests that demonstrate how moving your light changes contrast, coverage, and the overall look of your image. This includes practical examples using different modifiers and distances so you can understand how light strikes your subject and how to control it. Topics covered: • Light falloff and the inverse square law • Soft light vs hard light based on distance • Even lighting for full-body portraits • Background brightness control • Beauty dish distance and performance 📥 Grab your FREE Intro to Studio Lighting Guide Lighting mistakes are common — but easy to fix when you understand the basics. This guide includes diagrams, tips, and real examples to help you get it right from the start. 👉 https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/338830/172059658643571768/share 📘 Ready to go deeper? Get my full 250-page guide: The Photographer’s Journey — packed with multi-light setups, behind-the-scenes breakdowns, and pro strategies you can use immediately. 👉 https://johngress.com/downloads/ GEAR Click here for a full list of all the gear I use in the studio - https://johngress.com/gear/ Canon R5 Mark II Amazon: https://amzn.to/4cJZyir B&H: https://bhpho.to/3Yc4YyB Canon BG-R20 Battery Grip for EOS R5 Mark II Amazon https://amzn.to/3B3Bg5f B&H https://bhpho.to/3XJFyaT Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM Amazon https://amzn.to/3tHbPxm B&H https://bhpho.to/3L6f1Na Elinchrom FIVE Amazon https://amzn.to/3Um6V61 B&H https://bhpho.to/3LcypYZ Elinchrom 8.3" Standard Reflector with 30 Degree Grid B&H https://bhpho.to/4731i3t Elinchrom Rotalux Deep Octabox (70cm / 27.5”) Amazon https://amzn.to/3IxitgV B&H https://bhpho.to/3AIN1uy Elinchrom Indirect Litemotiv Octa Softbox 190cm (75”) Amazon https://amzn.to/3GZa45L B&H https://bhpho.to/3oOM4Oq Elinchrom Softlite 27" Reflector (Beauty Dish) 64 degrees - Silver Adorama https://howl.me/ck1d2j1ArzC B&H https://bhpho.to/3MMhJcl Kupo Big Boom Amazon https://amzn.to/3YHNBFU B&H https://bhpho.to/3Aj3wk5 Studio Titan Camera Stand STA-01-360 MK2 B&H https://bhpho.to/3cf4RfL Studio Titan Rack & Pinion Geared Crank Stand STA-06-200 B&H https://bhpho.to/44Bj1y9 Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:05 - Modifier & distance testing 03:46 - Lighting for full body 05:22 - Character: Hardlight vs. Softlight 08:07 - Beauty Dishes 08:54 - Final Thoughts #PortraitLighting #LightingDistance #PhotographyLighting #StudioLighting #PhotographyTips