There are plenty of different photo styles out there in the ether, though when it comes to the window-blind portrait, it is often a favorite of photographers and models! Of course, there are a few problems that come into play when trying to capture the perfect window-blind photo.
Beyond the weather and time of day, you might not have the right type of blinds at home to get the job done. With so many styles of window treatments out there, finding the best ones to work with can be quite a pain
That’s why we’re here to help! If you’re looking to create those moody, dark stripes in your home for your next photo shoot, then stick with us!
The Beauty of Shooting Through Window Blinds
If you’ve been looking through window-blind photos and thinking “wow”, it’s probably because you can’t help but recognize the strong impact and contrast of the blinds. Almost all photographers try this photo out at one point. It is, of course, important to wait for the right lighting and time of day,
Equally important is having the right type of blinds to use.
What Kind of Blinds Work Best?
The good thing is, you can use just about any type of cheap blinds available, though you do want to make sure they are horizontal blinds. You also want to make sure that they do not have another layer behind them so that light can shine all the way through!
The length and width of the blinds will determine the size of the shadow at the end.
Using Blinds Without Natural Light
In some environments, waiting for the perfect natural lighting could take a week! This is especially true if you live somewhere that is often cloudy.
To bypass this, you can take a set of window blinds and hang them up in a room with a large light coming through them. You need to make sure to have enough space behind them for a photo lamp and enough space in front of them for your model.
We recommend looking for blinds that are at least two meters long and hanging them from your typical construction where you hang photo paper backgrounds. The color of the blinds doesn’t really matter here, though we do recommend looking for blinds that have a flat color to them. You don’t want any sort of reflections bouncing off of them and creating strange bursts of light in your photo. For that, we recommend wood or faux wood blinds rather than your standard aluminum blinds.
Once you’re ready to go, set your model lamp up behind your blinds and adjust for the perfect lighting, adjust the angle of your blinds to create uniform stripes along your model, and start experimenting with photos once you find the perfect look.
Get the right window blinds for your photoshoots and you’ll be able to create spectacular and dramatic photos from the comfort of your home or photo studio!