12/01/2008 by admin.

Simplified Studio Lighting for Elegant Portraits

When you are new to studio portrait photography, studio lighting can seem difficult, mysterious, and perhaps even ominous at times. You may read ten different books on lighting by the “experts”, and quite likely you will get ten totally different opinions about what constitutes proper lighting. Maybe this is because “proper” lighting for studio portraits is just that; a matter of opinion. Yes, there are classic styles of lighting such as: open loop, closed loop, butterfly or Paramount, broad lighting, short lighting, and so forth. But, ninety nine times out of a hundred, clients who come into your studio do not care about the technical aspects of lighting, or even the classical styles of lighting. They simply want to look great in their portraits, and it’s your job as a professional portrait photographer to help them do just that. The system of lighting used in my portrait studio is simple to understand, easy to work with, and it helps our clients look their best.

Our typical lighting scheme consists of three strobe lights with a forth strobe “hair light” used as needed. First, the key light is the main light source in the lighting scheme and is used to contour the face and add depth and interest to the subject. The key light is what enables the three dimensional subject to be rendered in a two dimensional plane, yet perceived as a three dimensional image. The key light in our studio’s light setup is mounted on a Studio Titan Side Kick stand. The beauty of this stand is that it is very stable, has lockable casters so it is easily repositioned, and the height of the key light is very easily adjustable with the “single touch” adjustable arm. The key light is usually the only strobe in our setup that is repositioned during the course of a photo shoot.

The key light is modified using a parabolic reflector, a shoot through umbrella or a reflecting umbrella, a soft box (several sizes may be used), or by other means, thereby achieving in each portrait the desired effect. A guideline to remember is: at a given distance between light source and subject, the smaller the light source, the harsher the incident light and the sharper (more contrast) the shadows. Choose the modifier accordingly to achieve the desired effect for your portrait (i.e. light modifiers in order of decreasing contrast: 6” parabolic reflector, 16” parabolic reflector, 40” reflecting umbrella, 40” shoot through umbrella, 3’x4’ softbox, 4’x6’ softbox). The key light is then metered (independently) to f11. This may be accomplished by adjusting the power to the strobe, and/or the distance between key light and subject.

During the photo shoot, the illumination of the subject will remain constant when you reposition the key light, as long as the distance between the key light and the subject remains constant. This simple fact is useful to keep in mind for one reason. It enables you to quickly relocate your key light for different desired effects without re-metering everything. Visualize your subject being at the hub of a wheel, the radius of the wheel being equal to the distance (between the key light and your subject) that gave you f11. The key light may be relocated to any position around the perimeter of the imaginary wheel, with the illumination on your subject remaining a constant f11.

Second, the fill light serves as contrast control by filling in the “sockets and pockets” of your subject. The fill light in our light set up is permanently positioned about 15 feet from the subject, directly out in front of the set. It is elevated to a height of about ten to eleven feet above the floor, so we are able to shoot from directly underneath the fill light if necessary. The fill light is diffused by a large soft box, and oriented (angled) to directly face the subject. It is typically metered (independently) to f5.6, by adjusting the power to the strobe. This gives a light ratio on your subject of about 1:4.

The third strobe in our studio light setup serves as the background light. The background light may be mounted on a short stand positioned directly behind the subject, and angled upward to illuminate the backdrop and eliminate any shadows behind the subject. Positioning the subject at least six feet from the background also helps to eliminate shadows on the background. For a vignette effect on a low key back ground use a small parabolic reflector and possibly a grid spot or barn doors to direct and focus the light where you want it. For a more evenly lit mid key backdrop substitute a soft box strip mounted on a boom stand, high and angled downward and toward the back drop. Typically for low key to mid key portraits we meter the background light to f5.6 or f8. This is a matter of preference depending on the desired effect. You can easily create elegant low to mid key portraits using this setup.

For super hi key shots, to get the snow white seamless background look, you must overexpose the background relative to the subject by two stops. For example, if you meter your key to f8 you should meter the background to f16 to achieve the desired effect. The trick is to get your subject far enough out from the background so they don’t pick up too much reflected light and you are able to blow out the background while maintaining proper exposure on your subject. The fill is still metered one or two stops below the key to maintain a nice contrast ratio on your subject. Super hi key portraits may best be accomplished using two background lights, angled in on each side of the background. This gives a more evenly distributed background light.

The forth strobe often used in our studio light setup, is the hair light. It is used to separate the subject from the background and to accentuate the subject’s hair and shoulders. The hair light may be positioned low or high behind the subject depending on the desired effect, and modifiers such as a snoot or a grid spot may be used to direct and focus the light as desired. Whether or not the hair light is used depends on the subject’s hair color relative to the backdrop and on the desired effect for the portrait (e.g. dark hair disappears on a dark backdrop and requires the hair light as a separator)

Beyond posing your subject in a flattering way, lighting your subject is the single greatest skill you must master in order to create exceptional portraiture. Your lighting scheme does not have to be overly complex, and your equipment need not be the latest and greatest. However, you must develop a basic understanding of light contrast ratio and how to control the light, in order to masterfully create elegant and beautiful portraits. The lighting setup described above may be a good starting point. It is very simple to understand and easy to use, generally, only the key light is repositioned during the course of a photo shoot. From there, experiment and practice to achieve the results that you imagine. As always, good day and happy clicking.

Steve Barnes is a professional portrait photography, a free lance writer, and co-owner of Hayley Barnes Photography, in League City, Texas. Please visit his website at, www.hayleybarnesphoto.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Barnes

Simplified Studio Lighting for Elegant Portraits

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09/01/2008 by admin.

Fashion Photography Tips For SuccessWe see them all over the place; in television advertisements, in magazines, and on the runway. They are the beautiful men and women who strut their stuff while showing off the latest styles from the hottest fashion designers. These are the fashion models of today and tomorrow, and the subject of high fashion photography. It is through photography that these models and fashionable clothing are brought to the public. Therefore, these photographs must be taken with a certain level of precision and a special attention to color, style, and lighting composition. Learning a few key fashion photography tips will help to make this possible.

High fashion photographers such as Mario Testino and Eva Mueller may not be as famous as the models they shoot, but they are actually sought out more than their model counterparts by fashion magazines and designers. While the dream of huge paychecks and hobnobbing with the rich and famous might appeal to the aspiring fashion photographer, it is not easy to become successful in fashion and model photography. For every one talented young photographer who makes it big, there are hundreds are left dreaming about the moment their photo will be chosen.

Here are a few fashion photography tips for anyone interested in getting started in the field of fashion photography. The first thing you must do is study your subject. As with any field, you can never learn enough. Read as many fashion magazines you can possibly get your hands on. There are a number of fantastic books on the subjects of fashion and model photography available. They can be purchased cheaply online at sites like Amazon.com or even cheaper if you get them used on eBay. You will also need a good camera, a tripod, and a lighting system. One of the more often overlooked fashion photography tips, is to ensure that you always have plenty of film and extra batteries available.

One of the most important fashion photography tips to focus on is having a portfolio. You need to start assembling a portfolio of your work and you need to keep this portfolio handy at all times. You never know when you will have the opportunity to show your work off to someone in the fashion world. Sharp, vibrant images on a 4 x 5″ transparency will best show off your work, so focus on them when putting your fashion photography portfolio together. If any of your work has already been published regardless of whether it was a local magazine, newspaper or contest, add a tear sheet (literally a sheet you torn out of the magazine) is a great addition to a portfolio. You should have a minimum of 20 photographs in your portfolio and showcasing different styles.

In this day of the internet, it is wise to display your fashion photography talent online as well. Setup a simple website displaying your work and submit your digital photos to online contests. Also, submit them to online fashion gallery websites. This will help tremendously with getting your work seen and showcasing your talent around the world. Probably the most important of all the fashion photography tips is to get your photographs seen by as many people as possible. There is no better way of doing this than by putting them online.

Remember that most fashion magazine editors are looking for your personality in the photographs that you take. Each fashion photographer will captures the essence of a fashion design and model differently. Most importantly, if this is your dream, do not give up, ever! Keep learning the latest high fashion photography tips and keep working to get your photographs on the cover of my next hot fashion magazine.

Charlotte Plante is an avid photographer who runs a successful photography website dedicated to the fields of fashion photography, wedding photography, and more. For great digital photography tips, discount offers, and more, visit Charlotte’s website at http://digitalphotographyarticles.com

Fashion Photography Tips For Success

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03/01/2008 by admin.

Many a photographer starting out would like to know what lighting combination would work the best. A new studio has the advantage of starting with a new slate. Mimicking current studio setups may not always have the best arrangement because they sometimes have to make do with what was inherited or added to through the years.

The main light should be at least three feet wide and in a soft box configuration. The reason for this is that a soft box places the surface of the light close to the subject without getting in the way of the camera or photographer. Another reason is that the light is kinder to skin surfaces and tends to wrap around the features without losing the modeling.

The fill light works best if an umbrella reflector is used. This type of light does reduce the intensity which is a good thing for a fill light. An umbrella (at least three feet in diameter) also works well further from the subject and out of the way of the photographer. The fill light should be placed as near the line of the camera as possible to avoid getting under eye shadows (bags) and in order to prevent double shadows from the nose and chin.

A hair light should be wide and shallow in order to spread the light horizontally but not shine into the lens. A built in shade can be used with this soft box for working close to the top of the head of the subject and not shine light into the lens. The soft box type of hair light allows working close to the head while still presenting a wide angle of light. A spot type hair light is much too narrow for showing the hair in it’s true colors and will too easily burn up lighter colored hair.

The back light can be a round regular reflector situated directly behind the subject or preferably off to one side but out of the picture. This latter type of back light should be snouted rather tightly for a narrow angle so as not to spill onto the subject unless for special effects (edge lighting with black background).

A kicker light on the other side of the room can be used for edge lighting, additional background light for high key effects or as a spot light on specific background props.

All lights should be calibrated for a specific ISO and balanced for equal intensity. The exception is the fill which should be from two the three and one half stops weaker than the main light. There are many other lighting setups that work for special effects. Among them are the single spot (use the back light) on the face (metered, of course), a single main light at a strong angle with all other lights bounced off the walls and ceiling for a strong but soft modeling effect. However, ninety per cent of the regular portraits will be well served with the five light setup detailed above. Photogenic lights have been a favorite in many studios. For digital work, three hundred watt seconds per light should be sufficient. With a Canon DSLR you can set the camera manually at F5.6 or F8 for plenty depth of field using a 150 mm focal length portrait lens. This foolproof lighting setup produces beautifully lit portraits of babies, children and families alike.

Retired portrait photographer of forty eight years.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenneth_C._Hoffman

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03/01/2008 by admin.

Every face can show a multitude of personality and individual characteristics. It is up to the portrait photographer to bring out the subjects best features with interesting conversation and good lighting.

The photographer’s first task is to evaluate the facial features and decide which ones to emphasize and which ones to minimize. Long noses look best from a low angle for instance, and double chins respond well to a high camera angle, but this article will be aimed at the effects of lighting on the human face.

It is easier to guage the proper lighting by watching for key points. A flattering main light produces a definite shadow that extends from the crest of the nose to the cheek and includes all of the unphotogenic area next to the nose. The height of the main light is determined by the angle of the shelf under the eyebrow. Cavernous eyes are well served by a low main light and protruding eyes can benefit from a high main light. A second consideration is the appearance of a noticeable catch light on the eye since a too high main light will not show a catch light. The lower edge of the nose shadow should not touch or obscure the upper lip line. A proper shadow is the key to a flattering ‘loop’ light. This lighting shows most faces to good advantage, appearing both three dimensional and youthful.

If a face seems round or heavy, side or split lighting is called for. While a three to one lighting ratio is good for loop lighting, a softer two to one ratio is best for split lighting. Bring the light source close to the face at a

ninety degree angle from the camera. The short side of the face will show a shadow line that travels from the bridge of the nose down to the center of the chin, dividing the face into a well lit half and a shadowed half. The Fill light should be placed close to the lens and slightly above it in order to produce a clearly defined chin line and to minimize unsightly wrinkles. The key to watch for is the proper exposure in the highlights and enough light in the shadow areas to give a good skin tone.

Hair and shoulder lighting is important and sets the mood of the picture. All hair absorbs light disproportionately and must be adjusted in strength according to the tone of the hair. Black hair may require three times the amount of light that blonde or gray hair requires. Be careful not to allow the hair light to spill over on the nose for obvious reasons. A broad source is to be preferred over a spot source because the latter emphasizes the reflective qualities of the hair rather than the true color and tone.

If an edge light is used for a character portrait, make sure that the light is Well goboed and placed as close to being in the picture as possible without showing. Some photographers place their fill lights well above the lens for reasons of safety and convenience. But this placement produces undesireable neck lines, eye pouches and glaring foreheads. The fill light or lights work best at eye level or just below, filling in neck lines and almost eliminating pouches under the eyes.

So called Rembrandt lighting shadows the eyes completely, highlighting the upper cheeks with a triangular shape. Special care must be taken so as not to darken the eyes too much. While some studio photographers work with wrap around general lighting with a one to one and one half lighting ratio, no model- ing is present to enhance the features. The only benefit is that the studio will never get complaints of too dark shadows.

Background lights when set at the same power as the main light will produce a background color and density the same as it appears to the naked eye. The purpose of the background is to supply a pleasing distant contrast that does not compete with the subject, but enhances and separates the subject from the distance. A darkening of edges is a time-honored way of keeping the eye on the center of interest.

Lighting and its many variations is the most important tool in helping the portrait photographer reveal people at their best.

I am a retired portrait photographer of thirty years.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenneth_C._Hoffman

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03/01/2008 by admin.

This is the first post on a new blog called Learn Portrait Lighting Techniques For Photography.

Over the coming weeks and months there will be a variety of new posts, articles and general tips on all aspects of portrait lighting techniques for photography.

I hope you enjoy it and feel free to leave comments.

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