With some basic studio lighting equipment, a photographer can get a brilliant shot. Some shots obligate you to use expensive equipment, such as shots requiring a strobe. With a quality camera, a photographer can use one light, a window and a flash to make a great portrait. Whether you are using a studio for the first time or you're a hobbyist looking for the perfect shot, lighting can make the portrait.
Instructions
Lighting a Professional Studio
- 1
Choose a light. Begin with one lamp. Start the lamp off in a position that mimics the rays of the sun; high above the subject, off center and behind the camera. You can choose continuous lighting or flash. Continuous lighting means the light stays on through the duration of the shoot. This gets hot and causes the subject's irises to constrict, which doesn't make for a good portrait. However, the highlights and shadows are easier to see in continuous light so it is a good place to begin. Flash light brightens in time with the camera's shutter, saving the subject from the heat while still providing enough light for the picture. Equipment for flash lighting is more complicated and expensive than continuous lighting and may take some practice to master.
2Test the effect of the light. Do this before your subject arrives. Light will appear white with a fresh tungsten bulb, but it is actually yellow. The older the bulb, the more yellow the light. Adding a filter to your camera lens is one way to avoid too much yellowing. Tungsten-balanced film is another way. Or you can fix the problem digitally using photo editing software after the shoot. Adjust the position of the light to create the right shadows and highlights.
3Add more light or use a reflector board. One light shining from one side will create dramatic contrast. To brighten a shot add more continuous light sources or use a reflective surface to bounce light. A reflector board is either a flat, white board or a metallic surface. If you are working alone you will need something to hold the board in place while you shoot. In most cases a photographer wants to bounce the light into a subject's face to eliminate stubborn shadows. Hold the board toward the subject at a 45 degree angle with the bottom end angled up, toward the subject. Move the board around and watch the effect on the highlights and shadows.
Lighting a Home Studio
- 4
Gather together all light sources in your home. Lamps will emit soft lighting, particularly if they are using a 60 watt, soft-light bulb. One lamp will result in many shadows, but combining a few together will brighten a scene. Clamp-lights are often used backstage at theaters to help crew and cast see in the dark. They can also be found in studios or construction sites, anywhere that a worker needs a singular, direct light. Clamp-lights use a 60 to 75 watt bulb and have very little shading. The metal dish surrounding the bulb prevents the light from spreading, reflecting it straight ahead. Candles are traditionally creepy. Candlelight is minimal, yet the contrast with shadow and candle is great. Using a slower shutter speed will capture interesting moments in the candlelight.
5Set up a scene. Test your lighting by setting your camera on a timer and using yourself as the subject. Test spaces near windows, as natural lighting is sometimes all you need. Overcast days are good for lighting as the light from the sun is diffused by the clouds. A sunny day offers an opportunity to use reflected sun rays to brighten a complexion. Reflect sun rays by using a reflective surface. Angle the bottom of the board up toward a subject's face, while the top portion is angled toward the sun. Adjust until you find the desired illumination.
Place your other light sources where you think they will give you the effect you want. Continue to test and adjust until you find the right illumination and angle of light.
6Adjust lighting. Light will change throughout the day, or as a bulb ages. Adjust your camera lens aperture or add and subtract light sources as needed.
With some basic studio lighting equipment, a photographer can get a brilliant shot. Some shots obligate you to use expensive equipment, such as shots requiring a strobe. With a quality camera, a photographer can use one light, a window and a flash to make a great portrait. Whether you are using a studio for the first time or you're a hobbyist looking for the perfect shot, lighting can make the portrait.
Instructions
Lighting a Professional Studio
- 1
Choose a light. Begin with one lamp. Start the lamp off in a position that mimics the rays of the sun; high above the subject, off center and behind the camera. You can choose continuous lighting or flash. Continuous lighting means the light stays on through the duration of the shoot. This gets hot and causes the subject's irises to constrict, which doesn't make for a good portrait. However, the highlights and shadows are easier to see in continuous light so it is a good place to begin. Flash light brightens in time with the camera's shutter, saving the subject from the heat while still providing enough light for the picture. Equipment for flash lighting is more complicated and expensive than continuous lighting and may take some practice to master.
2Test the effect of the light. Do this before your subject arrives. Light will appear white with a fresh tungsten bulb, but it is actually yellow. The older the bulb, the more yellow the light. Adding a filter to your camera lens is one way to avoid too much yellowing. Tungsten-balanced film is another way. Or you can fix the problem digitally using photo editing software after the shoot. Adjust the position of the light to create the right shadows and highlights.
3Add more light or use a reflector board. One light shining from one side will create dramatic contrast. To brighten a shot add more continuous light sources or use a reflective surface to bounce light. A reflector board is either a flat, white board or a metallic surface. If you are working alone you will need something to hold the board in place while you shoot. In most cases a photographer wants to bounce the light into a subject's face to eliminate stubborn shadows. Hold the board toward the subject at a 45 degree angle with the bottom end angled up, toward the subject. Move the board around and watch the effect on the highlights and shadows.
Lighting a Home Studio
- 4
Gather together all light sources in your home. Lamps will emit soft lighting, particularly if they are using a 60 watt, soft-light bulb. One lamp will result in many shadows, but combining a few together will brighten a scene. Clamp-lights are often used backstage at theaters to help crew and cast see in the dark. They can also be found in studios or construction sites, anywhere that a worker needs a singular, direct light. Clamp-lights use a 60 to 75 watt bulb and have very little shading. The metal dish surrounding the bulb prevents the light from spreading, reflecting it straight ahead. Candles are traditionally creepy. Candlelight is minimal, yet the contrast with shadow and candle is great. Using a slower shutter speed will capture interesting moments in the candlelight.
5Set up a scene. Test your lighting by setting your camera on a timer and using yourself as the subject. Test spaces near windows, as natural lighting is sometimes all you need. Overcast days are good for lighting as the light from the sun is diffused by the clouds. A sunny day offers an opportunity to use reflected sun rays to brighten a complexion. Reflect sun rays by using a reflective surface. Angle the bottom of the board up toward a subject's face, while the top portion is angled toward the sun. Adjust until you find the desired illumination.
Place your other light sources where you think they will give you the effect you want. Continue to test and adjust until you find the right illumination and angle of light.
6Adjust lighting. Light will change throughout the day, or as a bulb ages. Adjust your camera lens aperture or add and subtract light sources as needed.
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