Adding a flash of colour to your portraits

Adding a subtle splash of colour to your portrait photography can help create a more edgy image. Difficulty level: intermediate Time taken: 90 minutes

- Holly Wren

When we think of adding colour gels to a portrait, those flashy, rainbow-coloured gel portraits where the sitter is drenched in a colour or a mixture of colours, may immediately come to mind. This changes the skin tone and adds drama, making for a beautiful image.

However, gels can also be used to create a subtle splash or dash of coloured light on your subject. This approach gives you the option of creating portraits with an added dimension. Using coloured light is always a fun way to experiment and see how light hits the subject. Combining colour with a bare flash light gives you the option of keeping the subject’s skin tone, whilst also making your portrait stand out.

The choice of colour and background is up to you, but it is recommended that you approach this as you would a studio shot. By that, we mean selecting a location where you can control all the light falling on your subject. This will allow you to see the effect of your colour and to experiment with its direction, whilst remaining unaffected by any ambient or natural light.

What you’ll need

• Your camera of choice Two strobe or constant lights with stands
• Two light modifiers, such as a soft box, umbrella or beauty dish
• Photographer’s gel sheet A suitable location where you can control the ambient light

Shooting steps