Portrait and studio photography
Light, glass, and the frame worth keeping
Stong Photography Journal is a working logbook of portraiture: what a lens or a light actually does once the session starts, and the pictures that came out of it.
In the frame
Verdicts on bodies, lenses and lighting, written after the shutter rather than from the spec sheet.
Latest writing →By subject
Headshots, portrait sessions and studio craft, grouped the way a photographer goes looking for them.
Browse topics →From the journal
Latest writing
How to Use Powder on Set for Portraits: Pro Tips (October 2026)
How to use powder on set for portraits in : control shine, set makeup gently, pick the right shade and tool, and…
How to Light Bald Heads Without Glare: Easy Fix (2026)
How to light bald heads without glare: soft side light, off-axis angles and exposure control for clean, even scalp shine in portrait…
How to Light Curly Hair: 5 Steps for Defined Curls 2026
A practical guide to how to light curly hair in five steps: place the key light, add a flagged rim, control fill…
How to Gel a Flash for Creative Color: Easy Tips (2026)
Learn how to gel a flash for creative color in : pick a gel, cut and tape it on with no gaps,…
How to Shoot a Silhouette Portrait with a Strobe: Easy Setup 2026
Learn how to shoot a silhouette portrait with a strobe, control spill, and create a clean, dramatic outline in repeatable steps. Updated…
How to Shoot Neon Style Portraits: Easy Lighting Guide 2026
How to shoot neon style portraits with colored LED signs and manual camera settings: palettes, rim light placement, exposure, posing, and fixes…
How to Shoot a Portrait With One Window and a Reflector (2026)
Learn how to shoot a portrait with one window and a reflector. Control soft light, fill shadows, set exposure and build a…
How to Make Studio Light Look Like Daylight (2026) Guide
Learn how to make studio light look like daylight in with soft direction, balanced exposure, simple modifiers and camera settings that look…
How to Measure Light Ratios: A Simple Photography Guide 2026
Learn how to measure light ratios with an incident meter, a spot meter or no meter at all, plus a stop-to-ratio conversion…
A note to readers
Photography rewards patience far more than it rewards new equipment, so the writing here stays close to the work: how a lens behaves through a long portrait session, how one light reshapes a face, what survives from the shoot to the final print. Expect plain language, full-size pictures, and an honest verdict even when the answer is that your current kit is fine.
The Stong Photography Journal editors
About this journal
Written beside the camera
Stong Photography Journal exists for photographers who want a straight read on gear and lighting before they spend, and something worth looking at once they have — portrait and studio work first, and the wider craft that feeds it.
Everything published here is written from use: tested on real sessions, shown at full size, and revised when a better way turns up.