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All Posts By

Olga Kotilevskaia

Apr 29

How to Use Natural Light: The Most Honest Tool in the Studio

By Education No Comments

There is a certain kind of image that feels effortless the moment you see it. Nothing is overworked, nothing feels imposed. The light just exists, and it is soft, dimensional, and quietly precise. More often than not, that’s natural light.

Before photography studios were filled with modifiers, strobes, and complex setups, there was simply the window. And it’s no coincidence that some of the most enduring portraits — from painting to early photography — were built around it. Natural light, instead of impressing you, reveals. And in a studio setting, that honesty becomes a powerful advantage.

At PL Photography Studio, this light comes primarily from south-facing skylight windows. Being on the top floor means the studio receives a consistent flow of daylight throughout the day, with direct sunlight strongest around midday. Unlike standard side windows, skylight windows create a more even, top-down illumination that fills the space while still allowing for shape and depth.

What makes this setup particularly effective is how responsive it is. Natural light is never static. It shifts with time, intensity, and weather. In the studio, you can work with these changes rather than against them.

Small adjustments make a significant difference. Rotating your subject will change how shadows fall across the face, while moving them in and out of brighter or softer areas of the space will affect contrast and definition. Shifting the backdrop also alters how much light it receives, subtly changing the overall tone and colour balance of the image.

That’s the part people often overlook: you’re not building light from scratch but shaping what’s already there. And psychologically, it does something important, too. Subjects tend to relax more in natural light. There’s no harsh flash, no interruption, no mechanical rhythm. The shoot flows. Expressions feel less performed and more observed. You get closer to something unforced — which, in portraiture, is usually the point.

How to work with it:

  • Start by uncovering the skylight windows and observing how the light drops into the space — it behaves differently from side windows, falling more vertically and evenly
  • Rotate your subject gradually — with the light coming from skylight windows, even subtle turns will shift shadows under the eyes, cheekbones, and jaw in a much more sculptural way
  • Move the backdrop incrementally — because the light is coming from above, small shifts will change how much light reaches it, subtly altering tone and separation
  • Use reflectors or bounce (floor or side) to reintroduce light into the face if needed
  • Experiment with partially drawing the curtains to diffuse or narrow the light — this gives you control over intensity and direction without artificial modifiers
  • Shoot at different times of day — top light evolves beautifully, from soft and ambient to more directional and dramatic

Natural light in this setting behaves differently. It is less obvious but far more sculptural once you understand it. It doesn’t flood the subject from the side; it carves from above. Which means you’re not just lighting a face but shaping structure. And once you start working with it, you realise something quite simple: you don’t always need more equipment. You just need to pay closer attention.

Practice this in a real studio setting
Our space is designed to make the most of natural light — giving you flexibility without complexity, and control without over-engineering.

→ Book studio time
https://plphotostudio.co.uk/product/booking/
→ To stay informed about the studio’s activities, sign up for our newsletter.

Apr 24

Miki Węcel: “I’m trying to find time to be good at a few different things.”

By Q&A No Comments

Miki Węcel is a photographer and musician whose practice moves fluidly between image and sound. For a long time, both disciplines have been the centre of his attention — less as separate paths than as parallel ways of working toward a single creative focus. His work reflects an ongoing commitment to shaping a life where these two practices are not occasional pursuits, but the core of what he does.

-What experience first made you realise you were an artist?
-I think that came very late; I never considered myself to be an artist until I joined the film industry by chance. Just being surrounded by so many people following their passions, I realised that maybe I too could do that, and I started looking for my thing (it’s always been music, though, really). At some point, I realised that I may have a bit of a knack for photography and decided that I had some catching up to do because I started so late, and I started to explore and learn.

-What does a typical day look like for you — in work and in life?
-I jump between a lot of things. I’m trying to find time to be good at a few different things to bring them together and form a cohesive visual world of sound and vision. I‘m also fighting against losing focus on what I should be doing. I often stay up late into the night and listen to weird electronic music and catch up on things then. Having headphones on and a lightweight beat definitely helps.

 

 

-What do you struggle with the most in your creative work, and how do you confront it?
-So, as I said above, I really struggle with focus and not just getting into a lengthy task, but also staying on it long enough to complete it in one sitting. I’ve been trying more and more to reduce the number of distractions in my life and find ways to squeeze the amount of time I have in a day to give more to learning my craft.

-Which ideas, people, or works have most influenced the way you think?

-More than any other it would be John Frusciante, just in his approach to music making, where everything has an idea, and each idea is explored, and there’s always a vision guiding it all. In terms of photography, though, first and foremost, I love Jack Davison’s work; it’s got a bit of silliness and lightness to it that at the same time can be gritty and raw. And possibly on a different side of the spectrum, I adore the compositions and attention to detail in Sarah Van Rij’s photographs; that’s the kind of precision I aspire to have in my images.

-If you could change one thing about how people experience your work, what would it be?
-That’s an interesting question, and I guess maybe it would be for them to try to see something else within the frame. There’s often a story in my head that explains the composition of the photo, maybe it’s the interaction between two objects or the way something fills the frame that suggests something about how it wants to be looked at.

Where to find Miki: https://www.instagram.com/mikiwecel

Interested in being interviewed for our blog or know someone who would like to be featured? Please reach out to us directly to explore any possibilities:
[email protected]

To stay informed about the studio’s activities, sign up for our newsletter here.

Apr 01

Rembrandt Lighting: The Triangle That Changed Portraiture Forever

By Education No Comments

One of the easiest ways to recognise Rembrandt lighting is by a small but striking detail: a triangle of light on the shadow side of the face. Once you see it, it’s impossible to unsee it — it’s ubiquitous, from classical paintings to modern photography.

The technique is named after Dutch master Rembrandt, who, back in the 17th century, mastered the use of light not just to illuminate his subjects, but also to reveal mood, psychology, and that undeniable Baroque tension. In many of Rembrandt’s portraits, light doesn’t simply show the face; it sculpts it, leaving parts in shadow and drawing attention to what matters.

Rembrandt, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

That same principle translates directly into photography.

In the studio, Rembrandt lighting is created by placing a single light source at roughly a 45-degree angle from the subject and slightly above eye level. When positioned correctly, it produces that signature triangle of light beneath the eye on the shadowed cheek.

But what makes this setup so enduring isn’t just the visual effect but what it does psychologically.

By allowing part of the face to fall into shadow, you introduce depth, ambiguity, and intimacy. The subject feels less flat, more present, almost cinematic. It’s a subtle shift, but it’s often the difference between a technically correct portrait and one that feels alive.

At the studio, this is one of the simplest ways to elevate a shoot without adding complexity. A single light, carefully placed, can transform the entire mood of an image.

How to achieve it: 

  • You can achieve this using one light: strobe, softbox, or even window light (we have plenty of natural light!)
  • Position your light source to the side of your subject (around 45°)
  • Raise it slightly above eye level
  • Adjust until a small triangle of light appears on the shadowed cheek
  • A reflector can be used to soften the shadows on the dark side of the face without eliminating the triangle
  • A smaller, more distant light source creates a more defined, harsh triangle, while a larger softbox produces a softer, more subtle effect.
Small movements matter here — even a few centimetres can change the balance between light and shadow.

Rembrandt lighting has lasted for centuries because it does something very simple, very well: it makes faces feel dimensional, expressive, and human. And in photography, that’s still the goal.

Practice this in a real studio setting

Our workshops and photography school focus on building confidence with light from the ground up — through hands-on practice and guided experimentation.

→ To stay informed about the studio’s activities, sign up for our newsletter:
https://mailchi.mp/plphotostudio/subscription
Apr 01

Hanna Lautreamont: “What matters is that something remains with the viewer.”

By Q&A No Comments

Hanna Lautreamont: “What matters is that something remains with the viewer.”

Hanna Lautreamont is a London-based artist who also holds a Master’s degree in languages and the history of Western literature. She works with analogue photography, treating each image as a physical object. Her practice bridges photography and printmaking, focusing on process, texture, and presence rather than perfection.

Hi Hanna. Can you tell us what experience first made you realise you were an artist?
I don’t think there was a single moment of realisation. If anything, my first exhibition in Cadaqués, Catalonia, made me more aware of the distance between making works and becoming aware of them. Seeing the work outside of a private context changes it; it becomes something independent, something you are no longer fully in control of. I’m still cautious about defining myself too clearly. It feels more accurate to think of it as an ongoing process rather than a fixed identity.

What does a typical day look like for you — in work and in life?
There isn’t really a fixed routine; my daily schedule depends on the stage of a project. Some days are structured around shooting and working with people, which requires a very outward energy. Others are much more internal and include developing ideas, researching, or building visual references. A significant part of my time is spent printing, either in the darkroom or working on photogravures in the workshop, where the process becomes slower and more tactile.

Alongside my own work, I maintain a freelance practice, so there’s a constant negotiation between personal projects and commissioned work. Outside of that, I try to stay engaged with other forms of art and with people by visiting galleries, reading, or having conversations with friends.

What do you struggle with the most in your creative work, and how do you confront it?
One of the main challenges in my practice is recognising when an image is complete. Because I work with analogue and hand-printing processes, there is always the possibility to continue refining, adjusting, re-printing, and reworking prints. The difficulty lies in understanding when those interventions still contribute to the image, and when they begin to take something away. I try to approach this by allowing distance. My method is stepping away from the work and returning to it with a clearer perspective. It’s less about producing a perfect image and more about preserving the essence of the image at the point when it feels most resolved.

Which ideas, people, or works have most influenced the way you think?
The people around me have a strong influence on how I think and work. I’m surrounded by individuals who are deeply committed to their own practices, and that level of focus sets a certain standard, which pushes me to be more precise and honest in what I do. Literature and poetry are central to my approach. My background in literature influences how I construct images. I’m interested in suggestions rather than direct statements, in atmosphere rather than explanation.

If you could change one thing about how people experience your work, what would it be?
It’s crucial for me that the viewer is given conceptual and physical space to look, to interpret, and to form their own response. I don’t intend my work to communicate fixed meanings. I hope my works may stage a moment of encounter and introspection, instead. What matters is that something remains with the viewer, whether that’s a feeling or a question.

Interested in being interviewed for our blog or know someone who would like to be featured? Please reach out to us directly to explore any possibilities:
[email protected]
To stay informed about the studio’s activities, sign up for our newsletter:
Feb 25

Federico Moro: “I hope that they leave with more love and respect for themselves”

By Events, Q&A No Comments

In this edition of Studio Practices, our new conversations series, we explore the art of presence with Federico Moro, an actor and coach. Drawing from psychophysical actor training and somatic methods, Federico shares insights on cultivating authenticity, the importance of embodiment, and how true presence influences both self-understanding and connection with others.

 

-You trained originally as an actor. At what point did the focus shift from performing to working with presence itself?

-I like that you called it presence. I would have called it authenticity, but they are two sides of the same coin: to be so present and truthful to who you are at any given moment. As a trained actor and writer, I’ve always wanted to be a vehicle for people to feel into new perspectives that might help their personal growth. I realised coaching them into finding this authenticity or presence was a more direct way to help them on their path to self-actualisation.

-You draw on methods like Linklater, Laban, and psychophysical actor training. What do these approaches have in common for you, and where do they fail?

-Every tool, just like work tools, is designed for a specific reason. In these cases, I believe they are all different ways to get you out of your head and into your body — developing your creative instincts and intuition, and to drop more easily into a state of flow. This is the state elite athletes and performers seek, one of total enjoyment, focus, and awareness all at once.

-Many people come to voice work wanting clarity or confidence. In your experience, what usually gets in the way before technique even becomes relevant?

-Limiting beliefs. Thinking that we’re not good at something, or that people aren’t interested in what we have to say. Or, or, or. We all have different ones. Mine was that I didn’t think I had anything worthy or intelligent enough to say. The truth is, we all share this human existence, so there’ll always be someone who recognises and can learn from your particular experience. You have to find your audience and forget about people who don’t resonate with you. It’s not personal; it’s just a matter of compatibility.

-Which ideas, people, or works have most influenced the way you think?

-Oh, so many. In terms of psychophysical acting lineage, I’m most influenced by Konstantin Stanislavski and Mikhail Chekhov. I’m also deepening my study of Jungian psychology, particularly his work on archetypes and the collective unconscious. Italian novelist and philosopher Luigi Pirandello is also up there: much of his work explores the idea of multiple selves emerging in different contexts and relationships — and whether there is such a thing as a self at all.

-What do you hope people leave with after working with you — not in terms of skills gained, but in how they relate to themselves afterwards?

-What a beautiful question. I hope that they leave with more love and respect for themselves and what they bring to the world; that they recognise a little bit more of the immense power they have.

 

Studio Practices is an ongoing series of community events at Pure Light Photography Studio.

In March, Federico will lead a workshop on voice, embodiment, and presence — spaces are limited, join now via Eventbright.

To stay informed about future workshops and gatherings, sign up for our newsletter.

Interested in hosting your own practice, workshop, or creative session in our space? Please reach out to us to explore any possibilities.

Feb 25

Stay With the Setup: Why Repetition Builds Real Confidence in the Studio

By Education No Comments
Photography culture often lauds novelty — new ideas, equipment, concepts. But real progress comes from returning, not constantly moving forward. Changing lighting setups every session resets learning; familiarity never has time to form.
Stick to one setup. For instance, a simple key light with a single modifier is enough.
“I come back to the same setup almost every time,” says Kate Kantur, one of our photographers. “A small softbox or a strip with a grid. It’s dramatic and hides everything that surrounds the subject in a shadow. At first, I thought it was limiting. Now it feels like home. I know exactly how it will behave, which lets me focus on the person rather than the equipment.”

Kate has used this setup across portraits, personal projects, and tests, adjusting only small variables depending on the subject.

Use the setup across multiple sessions. Photograph different subjects. Observe how the same light responds to different faces, fabrics, movements, and moods.
Repetition sharpens perception.
  • Small adjustments — a few centimetres in height, a slight rotation, a minor distance change — become meaningful.
  • You learn not just what to change, but why.
  • Confidence grows from experience, not diagrams.
Exercise: Commit to one lighting setup for a week or month. Resist the urge to “improve” it immediately. Let imperfections teach you. Over time, it becomes a reference, not a limitation.
Remember: consistency creates fluency and fluency creates freedom.
Practice this in a real studio setting. Our photography school and workshops support sustained learning, where repetition is encouraged, and questions are explored hands-on.
→ About our photography school
https://plphotostudio.co.uk/photography-school/
Feb 01

Studio birthday!

By News No Comments

We are turning 7! 

Come and join us to celebrate reaching this rather mature age! When we started, we couldn’t think this whole idea will live for so long.

When: 26th of Feb, 5.30pm – 9.30pm

Where: PL Photo Studio, Conlan street, Buspace studios, unit 126, London, W10 5AP

What to expect:

  • Meet us – founders and admins

  • Meet other photographers working in the studio

  • Socialise, enjoy drinks, talk photography and more!

  • Photozone for individual and group portraits

  • Lottery with Studio Time as prizes!

RSVP here please – we would like to be prepared!

We will be very happy to see you all!

Olga, Andy and PL Photo Studio Team

Photo by Eugenia Hembliuk

Jan 31

Start With One Light: Why Simplicity Is the Fastest Way to Understand Studio Lighting

By Education No Comments

Long before light stands, modifiers, and strobes existed, Renaissance painters learned to shape form and emotion with a single source of light. Mastery began not with abundance but with learning how one light could carve a face, separate a body from darkness, or suggest depth on a flat surface.

In the studio, photographers often make the opposite mistake: adding complexity too early, before truly understanding what a single light can do.

To improve your lighting, start with one light.

Place a single light in the studio and work with it deliberately. Choose one modifier and resist the urge to change it too quickly. Instead, change the position of the light. Move it closer to the subject, then further away. Raise it above eye level, then lower it. Rotate it slightly. Step back and observe. What changes isn’t just brightness but mood, contrast, texture, and emotion.

This process reveals something fundamental: lighting is not about equipment. Lighting is really about relationships: the relationship between light and subject, between light and space, even between light and intention.

Working with one light trains your eye to read light. You begin to recognise how shadows fall, how highlights behave, and how small adjustments can completely transform an image. This visual literacy is what allows photographers to recreate lighting from reference images and to make confident decisions on set.

Once you understand one light, adding a second becomes purposeful rather than decorative.

A useful exercise is to create three distinct looks using the same light and modifier, for example, changing only the angle, height, and distance. No additional lights. No shortcuts.

Mastery begins with restraint.

Practice this in a real studio setting

Our workshops and photography school focus on building confidence with light from the ground up — through hands-on practice and guided experimentation.

→ Explore upcoming photography school 

→ Book studio time 

 

 

Dec 01

Q&A with London based photographer Andy Go

By Q&A No Comments

Hi Andy. What experience first made you realise you were an artist?

I still expect more people to confirm that I am an artist. Having a thought that you may be an artist is a very small first step towards realising. I have sold some dozens of my prints, but so far it doesn’t feel enough, I’m thinking like 1000x of what is now maybe will do?  Being an artist is a social thing and mostly depends on others rather than yourself. Though I take photos and sometimes print them and make photographic zines. Being a photographer doesn’t make you necessarily an artist straight away.

What does a typical day look like for you — in work and in life?

I check my inbox – maybe someone wants to get photographed (usually not). Then I check my other inboxes. Then I get upset and edit the photos that usually are there to be edited. Then I check my inboxes again. In a rare event of request in my inbox, I go and take photos. I love photography so much, I wish I encountered more with it.

Outside of  photography life, on the contrary is rather cloudless, I have a much loved, loving and supportive partner next to me, and I have two kids 17 years apart – both very open to communicate and negotiate on their matters. I have friends, who live very different lives, still staying around and making me feel interesting and needed by society person.

What do you struggle with the most in your creative work, and how do you confront it?

I struggle with the amount of work. The idea of having to sell something comes as utterly sickening. I can’t be creative when I don’t know how to pay the bills. I do not confront it. I am not a warrior. I usually think that people just don’t like enough the things I do. On the other hand, I don’t feel people pleasing can lead somewhere interesting. So here I am.

Which ideas, people, or works have most influenced the way you think?

That idea that if you do something reasonable decently, it will be enough. The idea that work is the most important part of your life hence it should have predominantly internal motivation, like interest and curiosity, rather than external motivation like moneys and wishes of other people. The photographic works of Evgeni Mokhorev influenced me most, among other works are Kin dza dza movie, Monday Begins on Saturday book and books by Vadim Shefner. I love photos by Jo Schwab, T.H. Hauser, Arno Rafael Minkkinen, Alexey Titarenko, Bill Brandt, Gunars Binde, Nobuyoshi Araki, Sebasiao Salgado, Josef Koudelka, Richard Avedon, Boris Smelov, Alexander Lavrentiev, and I maybe forgot some others.

If you could change one thing about how people experience your work, what would it be?

I would appreciate a little more attention. But that’s not only about me, I’d say, I’d rather changed the way people look for what to read, watch, visit, etc. and rather than going for what majority of people read, watch, visit, etc., found something unique and niche for themselves to read, watch, visit, etc. – this will minimise the positive feedback loop existing now. I love negative feedback loops, pretty much everywhere they create less catastrophic landscape.

Where to find Andy: https://www.instagram.com/podvodoy https://www.instagram.com/andygo.photo and in the studio!

Nov 24

Studio photography workshop and social

By Education No Comments

Social Studio Photography Workshops – Learn, Create & Connect

Over the past few months our Social Introduction to Studio Photography Workshops have quickly become one of the most popular events at our studio. We’ve now successfully hosted four workshops, welcoming more than 30 photographers of all levels — from complete beginners to passionate hobbyists looking to sharpen their skills.

Each event focuses on hands-on learning in a friendly, social environment, giving attendees the chance to build confidence in a real studio setup. Participants have:

  • Experimented with both flash and continuous lighting

  • Explored a range of light modifiers, including softboxes, umbrellas, reflectors, optical snoots, gels etc.

  • Learned how to shape and control light for portraits and creative setups

  • Worked with professional models and actors, gaining real-world direction and communication experience

  • Shot alongside other photographers, sharing ideas, techniques and inspiration

Our workshops are designed to be accessible, practical — perfect for anyone wanting to understand studio photography without the pressure of a formal course.

Upcoming Workshops – Join the Next One

Due to the amazing response, we’re excited to announce that more social studio photography events are on the way. If you’d like to join us, you can book your place via Eventbrite:

👉 Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/pl-photography-studio-115576565071

Spaces fill quickly, so we recommend securing your spot early.