Take great Portrait mode photos in low light situations with these tips!

Since Portrait mode was introduced with the iPhone 7 Plus, anyone could take some nice looking portrait photos without a complex DSLR rig. With Apple's implementation of Portrait mode, it's easier than ever for any of us to take professional-looking photos with just our iPhones, with no extra gear to lug around. In fact, Portrait mode is one of my favorite ways to shoot photos with my phone, so I use it whenever I'm able to.

How to shoot great portrait pictures: iPhone photography tips & tricks

But one problem remains, even for Portrait mode: low light situations. Trying to get a good portrait of someone but there isn't enough light? Sure, you can go with the built-in LED flash on your iPhone, but that isn't always the best solution. Here are some tips and tricks to help you get better Portrait mode images in low light situations.

• Make use of Portrait Lighting
• Use the brightness slider
• Look for a light source or make your own
• Aim for brighter colors
• Experiment with a backlight
• Use the flash

Make use of Portrait Lighting

The biggest feature with Apple's Portrait mode that can help you in low-light situations is Portrait Lighting. This arrived in the iPhone 8 Plus and later models, and it utilizes machine learning with Portrait mode's depth map to intelligently add lighting to your photos in real-time or in the editing process.

To change the Portrait Lighting in real-time, just scroll through the Lighting dial while you're in Portrait mode. If you already took the photo, just go into Photos, find the photo, and then tap Edit to make changes. Portrait Lighting is the first thing that shows up when you go into Editing mode on a Portrait mode photo, so just move the dial to the lighting that you want.

Right now, there are six different types of Portrait Lighting, so no matter the situation, you should find one that works for your current low-light situation.

Natural Light is the default, and keeps your photo looking as natural as possible. In low-light situations though, this may not be the best option. Studio Light brightens up your subject, while Contour Light adds shadows for a more defined look. Stage Light blacks out the background, making it appear as if the subject is in a spotlight. Stage Light Mono is the same as Stage Light, but the subject is in, you guessed it, black and white. High Key Mono is the same as Stage Light Mono, but with a white background instead of black.

How to use Portrait mode and Portrait Lighting on iPhone

Use the brightness slider

Did you know that Portrait mode has its own brightness slider, just like when you take a normal photo? Yup! To access it, just tap on where you want to focus in Portrait mode, and then drag your finger up or down on the "sun" icon next to the yellow focus box.

It may not always be possible to get a great low-light Portrait mode image with this, but every little bit helps! Just experiment with that brightness slider — the results may (or may not) surprise you.

Look for a light source or make your own

If you're in a low-light environment, there has to be some source of light — just take a look around you! Otherwise, you'd just be in complete darkness, and not even Night Mode can help you out with that.

When you're trying to shoot Portrait mode in dimly lit areas, try looking for some source of ambient light. This can come from windows, overhead lights, candlelight, neon lights, or whatever else in the room or space.

Another option is to simply add your own light to the frame. This could be light from a screen, the LED flash on someone else's smartphone, portable LED lights, smart lights, Christmas lights, and anything else you can find and get your hands on.

I just received Anker's new LED Flash device for iPhone 11, and this would be a perfect option for adding your own lighting to a scene. It works as a flashbulb that's 4x brighter with twice the range of your iPhone, and it synchronizes with the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro flash setting. Or you can just use it as a light cube for instant lighting anywhere.

The Anker LED Flash and Light Cube is just one of many products that you can use to add some light to your portraits or any photo in general.

Best Lighting Accessories for iPhone Photography

Aim for brighter colors

As you shoot in dim places, you can make your life easier by having your subject wear whites or other pale colors. That's because these colors don't need as much light as others to stay bright and visible in darker areas. So if you can get a bit of ambient light on whites or pale hues, then they'll come out less grainy than if you were to shoot with darker colors.

Think about it in terms of pets — if you have a dog or cat with white fur on their face, then it's easier to get a portrait of them versus a black furry friend. The same applies to the colors that the subject wears, so try to remember lighter colors if you want some good low light portraits.

Experiment with a backlight

Usually, you don't want to have backlit subjects in portrait photos. But we're talking about low-light, or night portrait, here so the rules are a bit different. When it comes to shooting portraits in dimly lit environments, sometimes a backlight can do wonders.

If you use a backlight, it can possibly result in a "halo" effect on your subject, so they would have a bright outline made of light around them. And if it's a really good backlight, it may be reflective enough to get some extra light on the front of your subject too.

Use the flash

If all else fails, then you can always use the built-in LED flash on your iPhone. However, I honestly prefer to not use flash whenever possible, because I feel that it washes out the color in any photo, or it just looks harsher than I prefer. So using the flash is kind of like my last resort option for a good photo, Portrait mode or not.

And if you just don't like how the iPhone's LED flash makes your photos look, give the Anker MFi LED Flash accessory a try. It is 4x brighter than the iPhone's flash and it even has twice the range, making it a fantastic tool for low light portraits.

Low light Portrait mode photography requires experimentation

These are just a few tips and tricks we have learned to help you out with getting great Portrait mode shots in dimly lit areas. It's always tricky to shoot photography when the lighting isn't the best, but it also leaves a lot of wiggle room for experimentation.

Do you have your own tips for low-light Portrait mode photography? Drop a line in the comments below!