Our Natural Light
Headshot Studio

Located in Northwest Portland, Oregon.

The studio is the perfect space for your professional headshot session to develop an image that projects confidence, intelligence, and approachability. 

Welcome to the studio!

The light and bright natural light professional photography studio, Studio Northwest, is located in northwest Portland, Oregon. Large windows allow the south facing light to illuminate the space providing diffused light for a soft flattering glow.

You can choose from a handful of background colors, style set ups and posing furniture as options for your headshot.

The studio has a beauty station for touch ups or for your professional hair and makeup stylist. There is also a wardrobe space which is great for selecting outfits.

With a few light modifiers, a couple poses and you are all set with a new headshot!

The focus of the viewer will be entirely on you and how you come across in the photo. 

What are the benefits of a having studio session?

Working around cold weather or rain can distract from a relaxed image. A temperature-controlled environment allows you to bring your best to the shoot.

Another benefit of working indoors is that it’s easy to change outfits and try different looks. When you want to try this, be sure to check with the photographer and make sure your scheduled time can accommodate outfit changes. 

Your comfort is paramount for a photo shoot, especially if you are taking a headshot. 

Outside photos are very often taken in environments where there are other people around. Even in controlled, quiet locations there is the need to work around the elements and the environment to get a great shot. In the studio, the focus is entirely on you and getting a great photo.

Our natural light photo studio has an area to hang up your clothes, dress, and do touch ups, so it’s very easy to try a different shirt or check your makeup.

Natural Light Indoor Headshot

What makes a good studio headshot?

The studio offers two important elements:

  • a private space for sessions
  • south facing window light

While the weather and ease of working are great reasons to schedule time in a natural light studio, the light itself is a boon, as well.

Some studios specialize in strobe light photography, which can be wonderful when done well. However, much strobe photography can make a headshot look staged or cookie-cutter, something you don’t want in a headshot.

We work only in natural light where the soft and even lighting from our studio windows accentuates your personality and allows you to simply show up and be yourself. For matching existing headshots we can use strobe flash.

View How to Get New Hire Headshots that Match for more.

Our Photographers

Meet the studio photography team of Erica J Mitchell Photographer, Jamie and Jodhi.

They have been trained personally by head photographer, Erica in the natural light headshot techniques and service to provide the same style look for each of our clients.

Our team photographs in studiooutdoor and on-site using natural light to create a soft environmental look for each of our clients. 

View one of our profiles to learn more and see our recent work.

Choosing Your Studio Background

Studio backgrounds can have a big impact on the overall look and feel of the photo. It’s important to choose a background that will make you stand out and look professional. 

Let’s explore some of the best backgrounds to consider in the studio for your professional headshot.

Examples of our studio backgrounds 

  1. White or Gray Background
  2. Black Textured Wall
  3. Burnt Orange Wall
  4. Light Green Wall
  5. “Office” Setup Background
  6. “Greenery” Setup Background
  7.  Any Color Background Option (made post production)

We show examples of each of our most popular studio backgrounds for some of our clients. View our Studio Background Guide

Pro Tip: Background colors can be endless. We can change the color in the post production process to your desired brand color.

Headshots created in the studio using natural light techniques.

The goal of a professional business headshot session is to develop an image that projects confidence, intelligence, and approachability.

Our team photographs in studio, outdoor and on-site. We specialize in natural light headshots, strobe flash headshots, and matching existing headshots to create a soft environmental look for each of our clients.

These sessions are designed to provide professional headshots while using classic photographic techniques that utilizes or mimics sunlight to enhance the light quality for each individual. View some of our studio headshots below! 

View our Lighting Style Headshot Galleries

Natural lighting techniques are the main type of lighting we specialize in.

The manipulation of sunlight through clouds, white curtains or how it enters a studio filled with windows creates a unique effect strobe photograph cannot make.

Strobe flash photography is a classic technique that has been used in studios for decades using artificial light. It is very directional which limits the area in which the subject can move around. However, this setup can be great for single image headshot packages, team headshots or matching existing headshots.

View our Natural Light Headshot Gallery and Strobe Flash Headshot Gallery below.

For more information visit Two Types of Lighting for Headshots↗

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