Get the natural look
Jonathan Bielaski Based in Toronto, Canada, Jonathan creates cinematic portraits of real people in real places. Striving to capture as much in camera as possible, he has mastered his tools and working on location. See more at www.jonathanbielaski.com.
Environmental portraits
Portrait photographer Jonathan Bielaski shares his portfolio of images as well as his insights on photographing people in their environment
Mix the light
When using external lighting, try to make it look as natural as possible. Drag your shutter to bring in some of the ambient light and match the colour temperatures. It's fine to play with different tones of light, as in this image, with some light warmer than other parts. Just make sure that it's intentional.
Pay attention to colours
The colours in your image – both from the wardrobe to the supporting elements – are key to making a cohesive image. With this image I wanted to make sure that the tones and richness came out in this theatre set.
Know your subject
When you get to your location it's great to have interviewed your subject beforehand and spent time getting to know them. This will give you insight into who they are and what they do. Utilising the props they have will add an element that can tell the visual story.
Pull back
With my portraits I love to crop tight into
