Is hair light really the key to stunning professional headshots? Photographer and educator Gary Hughes is here to settle the debate once and for all in this fun and informative lighting tutorial. For years, hair light has been cast aside, dismissed as a relic of 1980s glamour shots—but Gary thinks it’s time for a comeback!

 

 

In this video, Gary breaks down why hair light deserves a spot in your headshot toolkit. He shows how it can add detail, texture, and that all-important subject-background separation to create headshots with depth and impact. Watch as he takes you behind the scenes of a live shoot, comparing headshots on a dark background with and without subtle hair light. And don’t miss the hilarious throwback to Gary’s own questionable lighting choices back in 1993 (yes, there’s photographic evidence).