When light falls only from one side, the other side of a face or object often falls into shadow that looks harsher than intended. A simple way to soften this is to hold up a piece of light coloured cloth on the opposite side of the light source, letting it bounce a little brightness back into the shadow. This trick costs nothing and works with almost any pale fabric found around the house.
A light coloured towel, a pillowcase, or even a plain scarf can all work well for this purpose, as long as the colour stays neutral and pale. Coloured fabric can cast an unwanted tint onto the subject, so white or a soft cream tends to give the cleanest result. Hold the cloth at an angle facing both the light source and the shadowed side of the subject to bounce light most effectively.
Finding the right position
The cloth works best when it is held reasonably close to the subject, since the effect weakens quickly with distance. A helper can hold it steady while the photograph is taken, or it can be propped against something nearby if no one else is available to assist at that moment.
It helps to move the cloth slowly while watching the screen, since even small changes in angle can noticeably change how much light bounces back onto the shadowed side. A slight tilt often makes the difference between a barely visible effect and a clearly softened shadow.
This simple trick works particularly well for portraits taken near a window, where one side of the face would otherwise stay quite dark. With a little practice, reaching for a light cloth becomes second nature whenever the shadows on one side look too heavy for the shot.
