For professional and amateur photographers alike, using a studio space and lighting equipment can be a good way to take control of the environment and produce images that wouldn't be possible on location or with natural light. Knowing the basics of studio lighting can save time and money. Having a plan and an understanding of lighting can also speed up the process, resulting in less time spent in the studio and, ultimately, better images.
Planning
Before entering the studio, or even booking a time slot, it is important to have a plan in place. This includes the date of the shoot, the availability of any models, props, or crew, and the type of lighting set-ups you'd like to use. Make a list of the lights and other equipment you think you'll need. Also, try to determine how many different set-ups you'll want to try out and how long each of them will take to prepare.
Research Equipment
Once you have a general idea of your project, begin researching the list of needed equipment. Decide how many lights you need, along with how powerful they must be and what sort of filters, bounce cards, or reflectors you'll be using. Each light will be rated in terms of its luminosity, as well as its color temperature. Lights with a higher color temperature produce cool, blue-ish light, while lower color temperatures produce warm, yellow light. Match the color temperatures to your intended effect, as well as the recommended range for your film or digital camera.
Visit the Studio
Before committing to a studio space, assess the space itself. Make sure that there is adequate room for the set-ups on your list. Also, find out what lights might be available in the studio, such as permanently-installed spotlights or small lighting kits that might be part of a professional studio, or ambient lighting in a room. Finally, try to imagine where your set-ups will take place within the studio. If you're working at home, measure your space and be sure to clear out anything that's unnecessary to give yourself maximum room in which to work in case new set-ups or additional lights are added at the last minute.
Lighting Set-Ups
Once in the studio, stick to your plan while remaining ready to improvise in case of any unforeseen problems. You'll probably want to use some variation on a traditional three-light scenario, with a primary key light directly on your subject, a less powerful fill light providing illumination on another part of your subject, and a back light behind your subject to produce more even lighting. Simply by varying the position and intensity of these three lights, countless effects are possible. For more complex scenarios other lights may be needed, though dramatic effects such as silhouettes can sometimes be produced with only one or two lights.
Home Studio Lighting
In some cases, it may be best to work from a home studio, or use your home as a temporary studio space. In this case, make an inventory of all available light sources. These may include windows, lamps, overhead lights and track lighting. Using gauze, tissue paper, or colored filters (colored cling wrap and gift wrap work as well as professional gels) can help to color or diffuse the light. Also, inserting halogen bulbs in place of standard incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs will produce a higher color temperature, resulting in a whiter quality of light.
Lighting for Film and Video
In cases where a studio set-up is done for a film or video production, there are added challenges in designing the lighting. While the lighting for a film might be a variation on the three-light set-up, it's important to know how the actors will move through the space. Additional lights can be used to drown out shadows that the key light can create. In some cases, as when actors will move from one part of the space to another in a single shot, two different three-light set-ups can be used, one for each area where the action will take place.
For professional and amateur photographers alike, using a studio space and lighting equipment can be a good way to take control of the environment and produce images that wouldn't be possible on location or with natural light. Knowing the basics of studio lighting can save time and money.
Enhance your photography skill,The Top Secret Photography Techniques
. Having a plan and an understanding of lighting can also speed up the process, resulting in less time spent in the studio and, ultimately, better images.Planning
Before entering the studio, or even booking a time slot, it is important to have a plan in place. This includes the date of the shoot, the availability of any models, props, or crew, and the type of lighting set-ups you'd like to use. Make a list of the lights and other equipment you think you'll need. Also, try to determine how many different set-ups you'll want to try out and how long each of them will take to prepare.
Research Equipment
Once you have a general idea of your project, begin researching the list of needed equipment. Decide how many lights you need, along with how powerful they must be and what sort of filters, bounce cards, or reflectors you'll be using. Each light will be rated in terms of its luminosity, as well as its color temperature. Lights with a higher color temperature produce cool, blue-ish light, while lower color temperatures produce warm, yellow light. Match the color temperatures to your intended effect, as well as the recommended range for your film or digital camera.
Visit the Studio
Before committing to a studio space, assess the space itself. Make sure that there is adequate room for the set-ups on your list. Also, find out what lights might be available in the studio, such as permanently-installed spotlights or small lighting kits that might be part of a professional studio, or ambient lighting in a room. Finally, try to imagine where your set-ups will take place within the studio. If you're working at home, measure your space and be sure to clear out anything that's unnecessary to give yourself maximum room in which to work in case new set-ups or additional lights are added at the last minute.
Lighting Set-Ups
Once in the studio, stick to your plan while remaining ready to improvise in case of any unforeseen problems. You'll probably want to use some variation on a traditional three-light scenario, with a primary key light directly on your subject, a less powerful fill light providing illumination on another part of your subject, and a back light behind your subject to produce more even lighting. Simply by varying the position and intensity of these three lights, countless effects are possible. For more complex scenarios other lights may be needed, though dramatic effects such as silhouettes can sometimes be produced with only one or two lights.
Home Studio Lighting
In some cases, it may be best to work from a home studio, or use your home as a temporary studio space. In this case, make an inventory of all available light sources. These may include windows, lamps, overhead lights and track lighting. Using gauze, tissue paper, or colored filters (colored cling wrap and gift wrap work as well as professional gels) can help to color or diffuse the light. Also, inserting halogen bulbs in place of standard incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs will produce a higher color temperature, resulting in a whiter quality of light.
Lighting for Film and Video
In cases where a studio set-up is done for a film or video production, there are added challenges in designing the lighting. While the lighting for a film might be a variation on the three-light set-up, it's important to know how the actors will move through the space. Additional lights can be used to drown out shadows that the key light can create. In some cases, as when actors will move from one part of the space to another in a single shot, two different three-light set-ups can be used, one for each area where the action will take place.
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