A portrait on a clean white background is a reliable choice for corporate headshots, school portraits, and any workflow where multiple people need to be photographed in a consistent style across a website, directory, or other printed and digital materials. A white background creates a clear, unified look and makes it easier to maintain consistency, especially when sessions take place over time.
Here, we show you how to create polished portraits on a white background using two lights and a reflector.
This setup is simple, efficient, and easy to repeat. With two flashes, a reflector, and careful light placement, you can achieve a clean result straight out of camera with little to no retouching.
An octa softbox in the 100 cm to 135 cm range is an excellent choice for the main light. Place it high and slightly in front of the subject at an angle. This gives you soft, flattering light while helping reduce reflections in glasses.
On the opposite side, position a reflector to open up the shadows and keep contrast under control. Both the main light and reflector should be placed at roughly a 45° angle to the subject.
Tip: A reflector such as the Manfrotto HaloCompact is quick to position and easy to mount on a light stand with a ball head.
To achieve a clean white background, dedicate one light specifically to the background. Place the flash behind the subject and aim it directly at the backdrop.
With an Elinchrom studio flash, you can often use the head without a reflector, or with a wide-angle reflector, to achieve broad and even coverage. If your flash produces a narrower beam, move the subject farther from the background to avoid hotspots and unwanted falloff.
If you do not have access to a white wall, there are several portable alternatives. Foldable white fabric backgrounds are easy to transport and quick to set up on location. White background paper on a roll is another practical option and is available in widths such as 1.35 m and 2.72 m. Combined with a background support kit, it gives you a flexible solution for both temporary and permanent setups.
When working with studio flash, set your camera to manual exposure, use a fixed ISO, and ideally a manual white balance. For flattering portrait perspective and comfortable working distance, lenses in the 85 mm to 100 mm range work very well.
A good starting point is 1/125 sec, ISO 100, and f/8. For portraits on a plain or white background, f/8 gives you reliable sharpness and consistency.
When using more than one light source, build the setup one light at a time. Start with a single light and adjust it until you are satisfied with the result. Then introduce the next light source and fine-tune from there.
Begin by testing the background light on its own. Check the histogram and make sure the background is bright and close to pure white, without spilling around the edges of the subject.
Then add the main light and adjust its power to match your chosen aperture, in this case f/8. Refine the position of the light until the portrait has the shape and balance you want. Finally, position the reflector so the shadow side is lifted slightly while keeping natural depth in the face.
Explore the equipment you need to create portraits with a white background.