We've talked about the benefits of  using continuous LED lighting for portrait photography several times, and in this post we're focusing on two specific lights for the task: the Nanlite FS-300B and the FC-500B LED spotlights. Simon Diez, a professional portrait photographer based near Seattle, Washington, often relies on these fixtures, and it's easy to see the quality of light they provide in his work.

When asked how the  Nanlite FS-300B was useful in the stunning portrait above, Diez said...

"It was great! I was able to control the color to make the color of her skin and the oranges of the dress well balanced. Not too blue, not too yellow. It was very useful." 

Both the FS-300B and FC-500B are bi-color LED point-source lights, which means you can easily adjust their color temperatures from warm to cool white light. This is what Diez is referring to. Both of these lights have a color temperature range of 2700K–6500K. The lower that number is, the more orangey/yellow the light gets, and the higher you turn it up, the white light turns more blue with coolness.

Changing the color temperature is as easy as turning a single knob on the back of the light. You just look at your subject and turn the knob until the scene looks its best to your eye. If you have the light high up on a stand, you can easily control it with the free NANLINK app on your phone through Bluetooth.

As you can see in the portrait above, the intensity of the light is another important setting to be able to easily adjust. You can quickly transition from shooting a bright, high-key commercial look to something dark and dramatic by changing the intensity of the light. Both the FS-300B and FC-500B have dedicated knobs to do this, and you can also use the NANLINK mobile app to do it as well.

In situations where you do not want to use your smartphone to control the lights, both the FS-300B and FC-500B are compatible with the separately available  WS-RC-C2 Handheld Remote Control. Perhaps you want to have a tech-free rapport with your client, or reserve your phone for only capturing social photos and videos during the shoot. It's nice to have another wireless control option.

Why Use the Nanlite FS-300B and FC-500B for Portrait Photography?

Nanlite makes lots of great lights for shooting photos, but the FS-300B and FC-500B stand out for their affordability, versatility, and power. At just $239, the FS-300B delivers seriously high-quality accuracy and construction, and 300 watts of power can cover a lot of different shooting situations. It's always great to have a light with you that can pump out a lot more power, and that's why the  FC-500B is our second recommendation. You can run into limitations with just 300 watts, so having a 500-watt light on hand makes it possible to achieve a much wider range of looks. 

One of the greatest advantages of using continuous light for portrait photography is that you can see how the light is going to look in-camera with your eyes in real time when you shoot. Your subject will see the light as well, and be able to react to it and engage with it. Another advantage of the FC-500B is that it can be dimmed in 0.1 increments, so you can quickly fine-tune exactly how much light you want.

Both of these fixtures have the Bowens Mount, so they're compatible with a huge number of light modifiers, including Nanlite's own offerings of softboxes,  PJ-BM Projection Attachments, and the FL-20G Fresnel Lens. The FS-300B is for studio use only, as it needs to be plugged into a standard AC outlet. The FC-500B can be used anywhere, you just also need to purchase the separately available FC PowerController and a set of V-Mount batteries.

Since these lights are so affordable, a great way to get started in shooting portraits with continuous LED light is to purchase one and start taking pictures. This kind of experience is invaluable and will teach you a lot, but you can certainly advance your skills much further by signing up for a workshop taught by an experienced professional.

Simon Diez often hosts photography workshops in his studio in Marysville, Washington, and he has built a strong reputation for being an excellent teacher, in addition to being a talented photographer. Participating in a class like this can open you up to techniques and ideas that you would otherwise never encounter. It's something to consider, no matter if you're a complete beginner or a more seasoned shooter.

Please check out our other posts on using continuous lighting for portrait photography:

Continuous Lighting Tips for Creative Portrait Photography

Constant Light in Modern Fine Art Portraiture and Why Considering it is Important

26 Tips for Shooting Musician and Band Photos with Jeremy Saffer

How to Create Cinematic Images with Portrait Photographer Chris Knight

Thanks for reading this blog post! If you have any more questions about the Nanlite FS-300B or FC-500B, please contact us, and we will respond to you as quickly as possible.

Every photo in this post was taken by Simon Diez