Lighting Basics: How to Light Portraits with an Umbrella

As my portraiture has evolved over the years, the mainstay of my kit remains to be large umbrellas. The light modifiers are incredibly versatile, give off a beautiful look, and are very portable in addition to being useful for creative applications. Umbrellas are so versatile that they're used be a variety of photographers: fashion, wedding, studio portrait, food, etc. After softboxes, they're probably the ones with the most versatility and popularity overall.