How to Avoid Shadows on the Background by Lindsay Adler

6/25/2025 ISO 1200 Magazine 0 Comments

Eliminate unwanted shadows and enhance your portrait photography with insights from celebrated fashion and beauty photographer Lindsay Adler. She outlines three key factors for superior results: lighting, your choice of modifier, and the separation between your subject and the background. This practical video provides a comprehensive breakdown for photographers at every stage.

1. Master Your Light Source

Understanding Light Quality: Hard light, like direct sunlight or an undiffused flash, creates sharp, defined shadows. It's often used for dramatic effects. In contrast, soft light, achieved through diffusion or bouncing, produces gentle, flattering shadows, ideal for beauty and portrait photography.

The Role of Modifiers: A large softbox or shoot-through umbrella diffuses and enlarges your light source, wrapping the light around your subject. This significantly reduces harsh contrast and creates a more even, pleasing illumination.

Actionable Steps:

Opt for a larger modifier, especially for close-up portraits, to achieve the smoothest light possible.
Position your light source at about a 45-degree angle from the camera-subject axis. This angle sculpts the face, adding depth with subtle, controlled shadows.
Test as you go: Take a quick shot after adjusting and review the shadows on both your subject's face and the background.

2. Optimize Modifier Shape & Distance

Modifier Shape Matters: The shape of your modifier influences light spread and control:

Octagonal or round modifiers (like beauty dishes or octaboxes) provide more directional light.
Rectangular softboxes deliver broad, even illumination, great for full-body shots or uniform lighting.

The Power of Proximity: Moving your light source closer to your subject dramatically softens shadows. When the light is close, it "wraps" more effectively around your subject, reducing shadow intensity and creating a more graceful light fall-off.

Pro Tip: Position your modifier just far enough away to avoid lens flare or distortion, then slowly inch it closer until you achieve the soft, clean, and flattering look you desire.

3. Create Subject-Background Separation

Why Distance is Key: When your subject is too close to the background, even soft light can spill onto it, creating distracting and often harsh shadows behind them.

Achieving Separation:

Increase distance: The simplest way to control background shadows is to move your subject further away from the background. For softbox setups, aim for at least two meters (about six feet) of separation.
Background light (optional): Consider adding a dedicated background light to create a pleasing halo effect or to further enhance separation, making your subject pop.

Bonus Tip: Use a flag or a piece of black foam board between your subject and the background. This blocks unwanted light spill, preventing shadows from appearing on the background and deepening its tones for a cleaner look.

Image and video via Adorama