Shadows give a face its shape, so removing every one is rarely the goal. What most people want is to get rid of shadows that look unflattering or distracting: dark eye sockets, a heavy shadow under the chin, or a hard shadow cast on the wall behind the subject. This article covers how to prevent them when shooting and how to reduce them afterward.
Decide which shadows to remove
Different shadows have different causes and fixes.
- Shadows on the face: from the direction and hardness of the light.
- Shadows under the eyes, nose or chin: often from light that is too high.
- Shadows on the background: from the subject being close to the wall.
- Shadows from other objects: hats, trees, window frames.
- Uneven shadows across the scene: from mixed or patchy light, such as dappled light under trees.
Keeping a little shadow usually looks more natural than none. A completely shadowless face can look flat.
Fix it in-camera first
Use a larger, softer light
Large light sources create gradual shadows that are less noticeable. Move the light closer, diffuse it, or find shaded light outdoors, such as on an overcast day. See soft light portrait photography for more.
Move the light closer to the camera axis
The nearer the light is to the lens, the fewer shadows the camera sees on the face, because the light and the camera share a viewpoint. Butterfly lighting is an example. Moving the light very close to the lens gives the flattest look, so find a balance that still leaves a little shape.
Lower an overhead light
Light from directly above darkens the eye sockets and chin. Bring the light down to just above eye level, angled gently down.
Add a reflector
A reflector under the face or on the shadow side bounces light into the shadows. A white card is gentle, silver is stronger. This is one of the cheapest fixes. See portrait photography without flash for reflector placement with window light.
Add a fill light
If you are using flash or LED, a second light at a lower power than the key can fill shadows (see fill lighting in photography). A common approach is setting the fill so the shadow side is one or two stops darker than the lit side, then adjusting to taste. Our portrait lighting guide discusses ratios and two-light setups.
Change the camera position or the subject’s pose
Turning the subject’s chin up slightly, or moving yourself, can change which shadows are visible. Asking the subject to face the light a bit more can open up the shadow side.
Move the subject away from the wall
Background shadows shrink or disappear when the subject is far enough from the wall that the shadow falls elsewhere. You can also move the light higher or to a different angle so the shadow falls out of frame.
Use the right exposure
Underexposed shadows look heavier. Expose for the face and check that the shadows retain detail. In harsh sun, find shade or use fill flash.
Fixing shadows in editing
Editing can reduce shadows, though heavy edits can look unnatural.
- Shadows slider or local adjustments: lift shadows on specific areas such as the eye sockets with a soft brush. Lightroom and similar tools have masks for this.
- Dodge and burn: lighten the dark areas and darken the bright ones to balance the face gently.
- Remove background shadows: possible with cloning or content-aware tools, when the area is simple. Complex shadows over textured surfaces are harder.
- Raw files: give you more room to lift shadows without banding.
- AI tools: some editing apps and web tools offer shadow removal. Results vary, and it is wise to zoom in and check skin texture and edges. Design tools such as Canva have shadow adjustment features, but they work best for small corrections.
Lifting shadows increases noise in dark areas, so work in moderation.
What is the 20-60-20 rule?
You may see this phrase in photography discussions. It is used in different ways, and there is no single standard meaning. One use refers to dividing the tones of an image into roughly 20 percent shadows, 60 percent midtones and 20 percent highlights. Treat it as a rough guide rather than a rule.
Best camera settings for shadow detail
Settings do not remove shadows, but they affect how well you capture detail in them.
- Shoot raw.
- Keep ISO low to limit noise when lifting shadows.
- Use exposure compensation or metering on the face so the shadows are not too dark.
- Check the histogram to avoid clipping highlights while exposing for the shadows.
Mistakes to avoid
- Filling so much that the face loses all shape.
- Using a reflector so close that it creates unnatural catchlights or glare.
- Over-brightening the eye sockets in editing, which can make eyes look odd.
- Ignoring background shadows until the edit.
Quick workflow
- Look at where the shadows fall before pressing the shutter.
- Soften or move the light.
- Add a reflector or fill.
- Check the background.
- Make small corrections in editing, if needed.
If you work with a single flash, our article on portrait photography with one light shows how a reflector can act as a second light.