how to set up photography lighting for a home studio
TRANSCRIPT
HowtoSetUpPhotographyLightingforaHomeStudio
ByAmberRichards
TableOfContents
Introduction
AdvantagesofSettingUpaHomeStudio
TheImportanceofLightingforYourHomeStudio
LookingattheBusinessSide
GettingstartedwithyourHomeStudio
ContinuousLightingorFlashSystems?
YourThreeBasicStudioLightingChoices
CoolLights
HotLights
Flash
StudioLighting
MainPower/SelfContained
MainPoweredSeparates
BatteryPoweredPack&Head
LookingatPackagesforBeginners
UnderstandingHardLightandSoftLight
ManipulatingLight
UsingOffCameraFlash
ControllingLight
BackgroundandBackdrops
PuttingitTogether-SettingyourLights/Flash
TheRembrandt
Clamshellsetup
TheClamshell(2lights/strobe)
RimLighting
ParamountorButterflyLighting
LoopLighting
TakingCareofYourEquipment
ThingstoRemember
Copyright©AmberRichards2013AllRightsReserved.
Introduction
Thisbook is intended for thebeginnerorhobbyistphotographer,wanting to learnmore
aboutlighting,toincludeperhapssettingupasmallhomestudio.WhenIwasjuststarting
out and a total newbie to photography, at times I found the learning curve quite
frustrating.Althoughtherearemanyexcellentresourcesoutthere,Ifoundpersonallyat
theverbeginnerlevels,thatmanyofthebooks,resourcesandtutorials,weresimplyover
myhead.OnceIgotmorebasicknowledgeundermybelt,Icouldthenunderstandwhat
theywerecommunicating. Theauthors seemed toassume Iknewmore than Idid,and
keybuildingblocksweremissed.
You’llfindearlyoninthisbookthattherewillbeimagesoflightingcomponentsaswell
aswhateachpieceofequipment iscalled,withashortdescriptionofwhat it is. Ifyou
alreadyknowthis,youmaywant toskip thatportion. WhenIstartedout, itwouldbe
beenveryhelpful forme to see these inorder tovisualizewhat technology specifically
wasbeingreferredto,somyhopeisthatitwillprovidevaluetosomereaders.
In the past few years or so, there have been many people who have gotten into
photographyasahobby. One reason for this is theDSLRor theDigitalSLRcameras,
whichareeasilyavailable,affordableandtakegreatqualitypictures.Theshutterbugcan
bequitecontagiousasonebeginstomasternewtechniques.Itisalsoachallenginghobby
aswellsincethereisalwaysmoretolearn.
Social media venues such as Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, and Tumblr, have made it
simplerthanevertoshareyourphotoswithothers.
Taking beautiful photos, (some of which may even be considered professional) has
become easier than ever, many photography enthusiasts are considering taking their
passion to thenext levelby turning it into abusiness.Nowadaysmany simplebirthday
partieshaveaphotographercoveringtheevent.GonearethedayswhereyourUnclewith
the cheap film camera is the official photographer. Today, semi-professional and even
professionalphotographersarebeinghiredtocoverfamilyevents.
Afewyearsago,noonehadeverheardofanengagementphotoshoot,orapostnupshoot,
a debut shoot, a baby bump shoot, and a new born shoot, toy photography, product
photography,etc.Butnowalltheseshoots(andsomanymore)arepartofeverydaylife;
this goes to show that the demand and need for the services of photographers has
graduallyincreasedthesepastyears.
Youmightalreadybeconsideringbringingyourpassionforphotographytothenextlevel,
whetheryouwillbepursuingitprofessionallyorasaseriousenthusiast,youmaywantto
considersettingupyourownhomestudio.
Ifyou’vegottentothepointinyourhobbyorsmallbusinessthatyouwanttosetupyour
ownphotographystudioinyourhome,youmightbeaskingyourselfhowyoushouldgo
aboutit.
Youmight possessmost of your equipment, except for the lighting. This can be tricky
because it all depends on the room size, the natural and artificial lighting already
available,nottomentionthecolorofthewalls,carpetand/orflooring.Sofirstthingsfirst,
let’sgooversomebasics.
AdvantagesofSettingUpaHomeStudio
There are definitely many advantages in setting up your own home studio, the main
benefitbeing thatyoucan savea lotofmoney,becauseyouhaveyourveryownhome
studio. There aremany commercial studios thatwill allow you to rent their studio and
equipmentforacertainamountofmoney,butifyouhaveyourownhomestudiothenyou
nolongerhavetospendextratorentastudioandtherequiredlightingequipment.
If you don’t have your own studio, aside from having to pay to rent for the use of a
commercial studio, you would also need to schedule your photo sessions around their
schedule.When you have your own studio you don’t have towork on someone else’s
schedule.Youneverknowwheninspirationwillstrikeandhavingahomestudioreadyfor
youtouseatanytime,willdefinitelybebeneficialtoyourgrowthasaphotographer.
One of the benefits of studio photography is that you are in absolute control of all the
elements within that space, and this is because you control all lighting aspects in that
environment. People often have this idea that working in a home studio, or other
photography studio means being in a controlled and formal environment. That is not
alwaysthecasesincethereisstillalotofroomforcreativesituationsthatyoucantryout
in your home studio. You may in fact, discover some very dramatic effects that are
stunninginyourstudiowork.
When setting up your own home photography studio, youmight want to consider that
somephotographystudioshaveglassareasorwindows,thatallownaturallighttospillin.
Otherstudiosknownas‘blackoutstudios’donothaveanynaturallightcominginsidethe
roomand they relysolelyon the lightingequipmentbeingused in thestudio. Whether
youwouldchooseoneovertheother,woulddependonhowyouwouldwanttoworkwith
lights,naturalorartificial.
TheImportanceofLightingforYourHomeStudio
Any budding photographer knows the importance of lighting when it comes to taking
photos;it isbasicallywhywecancaptureimagesonfilmorinadigitalsensor.Lightis
ourmeans of communicating and translatingwhatwe see from our view finder to our
imagesorphotos.Itdirectlyaffectsthesubjectandtheimage.Withoutit,you’llhaveto
raiseyourISOto1600,3200,oreven12800,useatripod,slowdowntheshutterspeed,
andopenyourapertureallthewaytoadecentexposure.
Lightingwillgiveyouflexibilityandcontrolinwhicheverareaofstudiophotographyyou
wouldliketoexplore.Unlikenaturallight,whichvariesdependingonthetimeofdayor
weather, itchanges,evenduringthesameshoot,forcingthephotographertocontinually
adapt to the shifts in light. Studio lightingwill allowyou toplace the lightwhereyou
wantit,whereyouwantthelighttofall,andhowmuchlightyouwant.Thatiswhywhen
youaresettingupyourveryownhomestudioyouhavetomakeimportantdecisionswhen
it comes to lighting, so that it is done correctly. It also allows for a greater degreeof
creativelightinginmanysituations.
Whenyouhavetherightlightingequipmentyouwillbeabletotryandexperimentona
lotofdifferentphotographictechniquesandexperiments.Thisisespeciallygoodforthe
creativephotographerthatgetsboredeasily;thepossibilitiesareendless!
Investingingettingphotographyequipmentandwhattodoifyouareonabudget
Thechoiceofwhatequipmenttostartbuyingforyourhomephotographystudiowillbe
likemappingoutyour journeybeforeyou take the trip. Before layingout thepath,we
havetofindoutwhatweneed,totravelinordertogetfrompointAtopointB.
Afewthingsthatwillcrossyourmindwillbewhetheritwouldbeadvisabletosplurgeor
be thriftywithyour investment for lightingequipment foryourstudio. It’sallgoing to
dependon thebudget thatyouareworkingwith,what typeofphotographyyouplan to
shoot,andwhatyourfutureplanwiththeequipmentis.
If you look around the internet, you might read a lot suggesting investing more on
expensiveequipment.Thismaysetyoubackandhaveyouthinkingtwiceaboutsettingup
your own photography studio at home.But youmust consider in the long runwhether
you’dbebenefitingfromthebetterperformingequipment. Sometimesthesaying,“you
getwhatyoupayfor”isverytrueinphotographylightingequipment.
It may be wise and advisable to invest in more expensive lighting and photography
equipmentifyoucan,butitisnotnecessarilyrequired.Nowifyoudon’thavethebudget
at themoment, topurchaseexpensive lightingequipment,youshouldnot losehopeand
giveuponsettingupyourownhomephotographystudio.Itisstillpossibletohaveyour
ownstudio,evenwhileworkingonatightbudget.Youcanpurchaselessexpensivestarter
equipmenttobeginwithandupgradeassoonasyoucan.Sometimesyoucanalsofind
goodqualitylightingthatisused,fromaphotographerwhoisupgradingtheirequipment.
You have to remember that whether you will be purchasing expensive equipment or
lookingatcheapermodels, it is important thatyoudothenecessaryresearchinorder to
ensure thatyoubuyequipment that is stableenough,andmadeofgoodquality tomeet
yourbasicphotographicneeds.Ifitdoesn’t,nopriceisagoodone,anditwillhurtyour
work.Ifclientsaren’thappywiththework,yourstudiowon’tgrow.
Nowgoingbacktoworkingonabudgetforyourhomephotographystudio,youcanstart
withaonelightsetupatfirst.Thereisnoneedtogocrazyandbuyawholephotography
store if you are working on a tight budget. Even if you are purchasing photography
lightingequipmentonepieceatatime,youcanstillgetthemostoutofitbymasteringall
possiblephotography&lightingtechniques,exploringthepossibilities,andstudyingthe
limitationswithyouronelightsetup.
Afteryouhavemasteredyouronelightsetupyoucanthenmoveontopurchasingyour
next piece of photography and lighting equipment, whichmight be a two light set up.
Fromthere,acquirethesamemasterybeforemovingontoyournextlightingpurchase.
LookingattheBusinessSide
Whetheryouarelookingatusingyourhomephotographystudioasaplacetopracticeand
perfectyourcraftinstudiophotography,orareconsideringusingyourstudioinyourown
business,youhavetoberealisticandlookintothebusinesssideofhavingyourownhome
photographystudio.
In the long run, you would definitely want to start earning with the photos that you
producefromyourhomestudio,butwhileyouarestilllearningtheropesoflightingand
studiophotographyyoucanactuallystartearning incomefromyourstudiobyrenting it
out tootherbuddingphotographers.Keep inmindhowever, that rentingoutyourhome
photographystudiotootherphotographersalsomeansrentingoutyourstudioequipment.
Thatiswhyitisimportanttomakesurethatyouinvestinstudioequipmentthatwillalso
begoodenoughforotherphotographerstouse.Thisisanotherreasonwhyitisidealthat
youinvestinequipmentthatwouldbeenticingforotherphotographersaswell.
Byrentingoutyourhomephotographystudiotootherphotographersyoucanstartgetting
areturnoninvestmentwiththelightingandphotographyequipmentyouhavepurchased
immediately.Justmakesuretohaveproceduresandpoliciesinplacetoensurethatyour
equipmentishandledwithcare.
GettingStartedwithyourHomeStudio
Beforeyougetstartedinbuildingyourhomestudio,youhavetofirstidentifytheroomin
yourhouse that youwill beusing foryour studio. Ideally choose a roomwhich is not
being used.Make sure that the room is big enough to accommodate photography and
lighting equipment. Think of it as an office where you can work and focus on your
photography.Itwouldbeidealifyoucanhavethecomputerthatyouuseforstoringyour
photoson,aswellaspostprocessingsetupinthatroom.Itwouldbemoreconvenientto
beabletoimmediatelytransferfilestoyourcomputerfromyourcameraaftereachphoto
shoot, instead of having to run back to your bedroom from your home studio just to
transfer andwork on your photos.Youwill definitely be able to save yourself a lot of
runningbackandforthwhenyouhaveyourcomputersetupinyourhomestudio.
Oncethingsgetgoingwithyourhomestudioyoucanalsostartdecorating,perhapsgeta
couch and a coffee table, so that you can also entertain guests and clients. To add a
personal touch, you can also decorate your home studio with your past works and
photographs.Make sure to choose the best and have them framed, these will be great
conversationpiecesandwillalsoagoodopportunityforyoutoshowyourtalenttoguests
andclients.
Afterchoosingyour roomand thinkingabout someof the interiordesignelements,you
needtoconsiderhowtheroomwillfunctionasaphotographystudio.Youcandothatby
blacking out any light coming from the outside (if you decide on having a blacked out
studio).Youcanuseblackgarbagebagstocoverthewindows,noneedtospendmoney
on anything expensive, as long as it gets the job done and covers the light from the
windows,thenyouaregoodtogo.
Getawhitebackdrop(fabricorpaper)andplaceitatthebackoftheroom,makesurethat
itrunsfromtheceilingtothefloorandtrytogetawhitebackdropthatdoesnothaveany
creasesinit.Youcanthenplaceyourlightingequipmentinfrontofyourwhitebackdrop
andyoucanstartexperimentingwitheffects,andstartshooting! Ifyouare financially
able, there are backdrop standswith either paper or fabric that can be ordered at fairly
reasonablepricesonline.
ContinuousLightingorFlashSystems?
Oneofthedecisionsyouhavetomakewhilesettingupyourhomephotographystudiois
whetheryouwouldwanttoworkwithcontinuouslighting,orflashheads.Likeeverything
else,thereisalwaysanadvantageanddisadvantagetoboth;itreallyboilsdowntohow
youwillmakethemostofit.
Continuouslightingcostsrelativelylessthanflashheadsandalsooffersagoodoptionfor
abudget,ifyouneedtoworkwithone.Becausethelightisalwayson,youcaneasily
assessandexamineascenetoseewheretheshadowsareandwhatthelightsaredoingin
relationtoyoursubject.Fromthereyouwillbeabletoworkonmanipulatingthelightin
yourstudio.
Nowthebiggestdisadvantagewhenusingcontinuouslightingisthatitactuallyemanates
andproducesalotofheatcomparedtoflashsystems,andthiscanactuallyheatupyour
studioandthemodelsorsubjectsyouareworkingwith.Sometimesitcangethotand
uncomfortableundertheselightingcircumstances.
Ifyouwillconsideroropttouseaflashsysteminstead,youwillgettoworkwithgreater
powerandhavemorecontrolofyourlightingsettingsinyourstudio.Flashsystemswill
alsohavemoreconsistency.Ifyouarejuststartingsettingupyourstudioandpurchasing
equipmentitisactuallyidealtostartwithalightingkitwhichwillbediscussedthroughout
theebook.
YourThreeBasicStudioLightingChoices
Nowthatyouhavealreadychosenaroomtobeyourhomestudioandarestartingto
researchthefirstfewitemsofphotographylightingequipmenttopurchase,youmight
wanttoconsiderthethreebasicstudiolightingchoices.Becausetherearesomanyout
therewewillbediscussingwhatyoushouldconsiderinvestingin.
Whenitcomestoyourphotographylighting,youwillhavethreebasicchoices.Thesewill
bethehotlights,coollights,andofcourse,theflashorstrobes.Everyoneofthesehas
theirowncharacteristics,sobeforeyoufigurealightingsourceasbeinggoodnomatter
what;youneedtokeepsomeimportantpointsinmindlikecontrol,poweroutput,andarea
ofcoverage,aswellasqualityoflight.Allofthesewillbediscussedfurtheron.
CoolLights
Coollights,arenotnecessarily“cool”butitreferstothetemperatureemittedfromthe
light,whichisalmostnonecomparedtohotlights,whichwarmupwithinminutesofuse.
Coollightsusefluorescentlight,whichiswhythelightdoesn’theatup.Whilebeingthe
lessversatileofthechoices,theytendtobeasafechoice.Theselightsarefluorescentand
havesomeadjustabilitybyturningoffandonthebulbsasyouneedthem;howeverthey
cannotbeadjustedlikehotlights.Beingaboutthesamecolorasdaylight,theycanbe
usedeasilyifnaturaldaylightispresent.
Usingthisformoflightinginconjunctionwithbrightnaturaldaylightcreatesan
intensifiedeffect,creatingbeautifulphotographswithnaturaltonesandcolorsnicely
accented.Unfortunately,theproblemwiththisformoflightingisthelackofpowerit
offers.Ifyouaretakingafullroomshot,youmayneedtohaveseveraloftheselightsin
place,andthiscangetincrediblycrowdedveryquickly.Thiswillhelpwithcamerasthat
havehighISOsettingsandaslowshutterspeed.Ifyoufindthatthecameracontinuesto
struggle,youcanalwaysusetheflashincombinationwiththisformoflighting.
HotLights
Youwillsometimesseetheselistedastungstenlights.Theirnicknameofhotlightscomes
fromthefactthattheyburnextremelyhot.Theseareusually500&800wattquartz
Halogenbulbsthatwilldeliverasolid,continuouslightsource.Thisisthereasonthatthis
lightingsourceissoverypopularamongphotographers.Itgenerallyrequiresfarlessto
achieveaverypolishedlook,providingthatyouareworkingwithscenesthatrequirea
consistentlightsource,likestilllifeandvideo.Shouldyoudesiretobesuccessfulwith
thisformoflighting,youneedtohaveaveryhighISOandthenhaveyourshutterata
veryslowsetting,hencetherestrictionsonsubjecttype.
Anotheradvantageofthecontinuouslightisthatyoucanmeteritasis,andyoucanuse
yourcameratometertogetthecorrectexposure.
*Note:Bothcoolandhotlightshaveanoddcolorthatyouhavetoconsidersinceit
directlyaffectsyouroutputandthecolorofyourexposurewillbetooblue,tooorangeor
yellow.Ensurethatyousetyourwhitebalancetothecorrectsetting,orplantoadjustthat
duringthepostproductionofyourworkflowofyourimages.
Flash
This can be a photographer’s best friend or constant nemesis depending on how you
choosetoutilizeit.Likeanyotherpieceofequipmentyouchoosetouse,itisatooland
nothing more. This can be a decent choice because they are easier to use, can allow
picturestobesetupfasterandremoveallthelimitationsonemayencounterwithhotor
coldlightsenablingyoutotakethesortsofphotosyouwouldprefer,ratherthanbeingtied
downtoonestyle.
The first type of flash that you should look at is the hotshoe, sometimes called a
speedlight. This is the piece that attaches to the flashguns on the top of your camera.
While thiscan takeaquick,easypicture,youwill find that90%of the time, the image
isn’tgoingtobewhatyouarelookingfor;it’sjustnotmeanttoworklikethat.
HotshoeFlash(orSpeedlight)MountedonCamera
Infact,thebestwaytousethehotshoeflashistoremoveitfromthecameraentirelyand
set themupasyouneed toon fittedstands.Thiswillgiveyou farmoreportabilityand
manymore options. Then you can add umbrella stands in order to createmore diffuse
effects.Formany,thismakesagoodchoicesincetheyareinexpensive,portable,andcan
beoperatedonbatterieswhenyouareonthego. Makethebatterypowergofurtherby
addingrechargeablebatteriesandachargerthatyoucantakewithyouonlocation.
Some studio photographers find that they have nothing but problems with the hotshoe
flash.Forexample,youhavealimitedrangeofpower;itwillonlydeliveramaximumof
60Joules.Atthesametime,youcan’tlimittheamountofflashpower(higherqualityhot
shoeflashescanbeadjusted)andsince theflashneeds tobe individually triggered,you
mightnotgetquitethepictureyouarelookingfor.Inaddition,someuseaproductcalled
a slave flash,whichwhensetup toother flashunits, triggersa signalwhichcauses the
otherflashunitstofire.Therecanbequitealotofsuccesswiththistypeofsystem,butit
doesrequireaveryprecisesetup.
Becauseofhowproblematic theycanbe,manyprofessionalswilluse thisformofflash
forjournalismphotographsonthego,asit’sthebestpossibleuseforthiscommonlighting
option.
StudioLighting
Mostnewphotographersoftenwonderifallstudiolightingwillworkfortheminthesame
way.Theeasiestresponseisyes,eachpieceofequipmentwilldowhatitwasdesignedto
dowiththeadjustmentsthatarenaturaltoitsfunction.However,thedifferenttypeshave
differentwaystheyaregoingtobeused.Thisincludesthefollowinglightingtypes:
MainPowerSelfContained
MainPowerSeparates
BatteryPowered
MonoLight
The cheapest is the monolights or main powered separates. Sometimes called Pack &
Headlights,thisisabattery-poweredsolutionthatwillhaveapackthatrestsonthefloor.
From it,youcanput asmany flashheads into thedeviceasneeded todeliver the right
imagequalityforyourproject.
Let’sgooverwhat these termsmean,both typescanbesearched forat amazon.comor
othersuppliersaswell:
MainPower/SelfContained
Main poweredmonolights are themost popularwith people just starting out, probably
becausethey’remuchlessexpensivethantheotherchoices.Thesewillcontainallofthe
“works” within the flash head itself. Just plug it in, and off you go! The new
photographercoulddo farworse than toget severalof thesewhen theyare startingout
sincetheyaresoversatile.
MainPoweredSeparates
Main powered separates also called Pack & Head lights have several advantages over
monolights,nottheleastofthesebeingthattheyarefarmorepowerful,howeverarealso
moreexpensive.Allofthecontrolsaresetonthepackitself,whichisalwaysmucheasier
andmoreconvenientthanwhentheyareonthehead,andwilloffermorechoicesforset
up.
BatteryPoweredPack&Head
Battery powered pack & head lights are useful because they can be used for location
shootswhere there isnopoweravailable, includingoutdoorusewherehighpower (not
availablefromhotshoeflashes)isneededtooverwhelmthedaylightandcreatedifferent
effects. Ifcoupledwithrechargeablebatteries, then theybecomeawonderful“Packand
go”solution.
LookingatPackagesforBeginners
Youmightberelievedtofindoutthattherearepackagesonthemarketwhichareidealfor
beginningphotographers.Youwouldjustneedtodoyourresearchsothatyoucanfinda
package ideal for beginning photographers setting up a studio. Some of my favorite
suppliersareamazon.com,http://www.bhphotovideo.com/andhttp://www.adorama.com/
althoughtherearemanyexcellentsuppliersoutthere.Ilistthethreeheresimplybecause
Ihavepersonallypurchasedfromthemwithgoodresults.
Youdon’thavetogetdiscouragedwhenyouseetheexpensivelightingpackagesouton
themarket,fortherearesomereallygreatonesavailableforreasonableprices.
UnderstandingHardLightandSoftLight
When you are looking into setting up your photography studio in your home, it is
important tounderstand theconceptof lighting,andwith thatcomesknowledgeofhard
lightandsoftlight,andthedifferencebetweenthetwo.
Hardlightcreatesshadowsandtransitionsfromlighttodarkandisverystark.Basically,
itislightinitstruestformwithoutanyformofdiffusion.Hardlightisidealfortextures
sinceitcastshardshadowsandhighcontrast.Hardlightwouldusuallycomefromasmall
source if youwill be comparing it to the subject. Bright, mid-day sunlight typically
createshardlight,theshadowsbeingverystronglydefinedwithhardlines.
On the other hand, soft light comes from a larger source than the subject and ismore
complimentarytopeople.Theeffectofsoftlightisachievedbecausesoftlightwrapslight
aroundthesubjectwhichfillsshadowsandlowerscontrast.Innaturaldaylight,acloudy
daycastssoftshadows(ifatall)withsoft,blurredlinesifshadowsarethere.
Workinginyourownhomestudiowouldmeanthatyoushouldunderstandhowhardlight
andsoftlightworks.Nowwhetherlightthatisfallingonasubjectorobjectthatyouare
photographingishardorsoft,woulddependonthesizeofthelightsourceandofcourse
your subject. A large source of light will wrap light around a small subject filling the
shadowsandloweringthecontrastwhileasmallsourceoflightwilldirectlightonalarge
subject(orobject)andcreatehardshadowsandhighcontrast.Byunderstandinghowsoft
and hard light work, you should be able to manipulate your light source in order to
complimentyoursubjectandgetthedesiredeffectyouareaimingfor.
Nowtherearetwowaystosoftenlightindoors.Thefirstismovingthelightsourcecloser
toyoursubject(rememberthefirstrulehowever, this lightneedstobebiggerthanyour
subject), and the second is using reflectors and diffusers. These are other photography
lightingequipmentyoumightwanttoconsiderpurchasingorinvestingin.Whenshooting
subjects,asofterlightgivesthemamorecomplimentaryandnaturalglow,andthiscanbe
achievedthroughlightmodifiers.
Hereisanexampleofonetypeoflightdiffuser/reflectorpanel,buttherearemanytypes
available,someofwhicharetobesetonyourspeedlightflashunits.
Inordertogetaharderlight,youwouldthenhavetomovethesourceoflightfartherfrom
thesubject,andinsteadofusingreflectorsanddiffusers,youwouldneedtouseabare
bulborabarebulbflash.Tounderstandthisbetter,pictureabulbthatismountedina
reflector.Itisactuallythelargerreflectorthatbecomesthelightsource.Thishappens
becauseabarebulbactuallyhasnoreflector,sothelightisthenmuchsmaller.Becauseit
ismoreofapointsourceitthencastsaharderlightonthesubject.Itlacksareflectorto
focuslightsincetherangeisshorterthanotherkindsoflight.
ManipulatingLight
Lightcomingfromyourequipmentmayseemhardorfallinplaceswhereyoudon’twant
it.Luckyforus,wehavewaystocontrollightormakeitworkthewaywewantitto.
Thisabilityalsoallowsaphotographertoplaywithdifferentsettingsandeffectsformore
creativeshots.
Light Modifiers - Nifty tools to use with light, they are often attached to lighting
equipmentorona lightstand tomake the lightmanageable. Theycanbepurchased in
your local photography store. Each of the light modifiers are used for a purpose but
mainly these are used for supporting your lighting equipment and complimenting your
photography.Thisisalsowhereitcangetreallyfun.I’llshowimagesinthissectionas
well,togiveanexamplewhattheselightmodifierslooklike,althoughtheremaybeother
versionsoutthereaswell.
1.Softbox-Ideallightmodifierthatsoftenslight,givingyoursubjectasmoothandeven
look. Oftenusedwhenshootingportraits. Thesoftboxhas2diffusers, insideandout.
Thesetwolayersnotonlysoftenthelight,buttheyalsogiveoutaniceevenwrapoflight
towardsthesubject.Itismadeofplastic,whichmakesitlightandeasytobringanywhere
(ifyouhaveelectricityavailable).Itisalsocollapsible,whichmakesiteasytobringalong
forlocationshoots.Notrecommendedifshootinginwindyconditions.Ifyoursoftbox
isalargeone,itmaybemoredifficulttotransportthanthesmallerones.
Thissoftboxisaverypopularchoiceforusingcontinuouslightinginastudiosetup.
2.Umbrella/Brolly-Itmaylooklikethesamethingthatweusetoprotectourselvesfrom
rain,butthesearemainlyusedtosoftenthelight.Theexpanseoffabricdisperseslight,
therebysofteningitseffect.Thereare2typesofumbrellas:
a.Shoot-thruumbrella-lightpassesthroughtheumbrella.
b.Reflectiveumbrella-lightbouncesoffoftheumbrella,thesemightbewhite,
gold or silver. Sometimes black is used as well to strategically block light in
certainareas.
Umbrellascastanicesoftlight;however,lightoftenfallsthroughorleaksintounwanted
areas. The best way to work around light falling into unwanted places is to fold the
umbrella to limit the light going through or bouncing off it.Alternatively, you can add
boards, or black fabric draped to block the light from going to unwanted places.
Umbrellas are a common lightmodifier because they are easy to navigate and to shoot
with.
3.Snoot - another attachable equipmentwhere it limits your light to cast a spot light.
Oftenusedforbackgroundlight,orcreativelyinportraiture.Sometimesitispointedata
person’shairtolightitupandmakeitshine.
4.Beautydish-ItactuallylookslikeaUFObutitisalsoalightmodifierwhereinitacts
like a softbox, butwith the dish there is one layer to bounce the light from the source
towards thedish. It is alsoheavier compared to a softboxor anumbrella, and is often
used for fashion photography. Beauty dishes are also known for the dramatic round
catchlightsinthesubject’seyesthattheyproduce.Thebeautydishisamodifierthatdoes
notreflectlightbutratherdirectsandthusgivesthemoredramaticeffectitisknownfor.
Abeautydishisofcourseshapedlikeadishandthelightcomesfromthebottomcenterof
the dish.When the light is on the dish, it funnels it directly on the subject with little
diffusionandahighfalloffrate,thismaycreatealightthatisdifficulttomasterbutonce
youmasterit,itisdefinitelyworthitsinceyouwillhavegreatphotos.
Inordertocontroltheharshnessofthelightfromthebeautydishyoucanaddmodifiers
ontopofthebeautydish.Mostbeautydishescomewithacoverforthetubesoyoucan
useittoimprovethelightfalloff,andisoftenfittedwithagridinordertoprovideadded
lightdiffusion.
5.Ringflash–Aringflashisanotherlightmodifierthatdirectlyattachestoaflashmount
on thecamera(around the lens)orcanbeattached toahotshoe. Itactsasa flash.Ring
flashwas originally used formacro photography, but it is used in fashion and portrait
photographyasitgivesaflatteringsoftlightandahighfashionlook.
Itmayseemliketheflashcamefromthecameraflash,butitgoesbeyondtheboundsofa
typicalflash,sinceitcoversbelowortheundersideofthecamera.Someringflashesneed
thecameraflash,andsomearemadewiththeirownflashunitsandcanworkwithother
strobesorflashunits.
OtherModifiers:
Grid - this equipment can be attached to softboxes and beauty dishes only, it
limits/restricts thelightpassingthruit, toprevent lightfallinginunwantedplacesinthe
frameofthephoto.
Barndoors-areoftenattachedtohot lights,verymuchlikethegridbut ithas4doors
whereinitpreventsthelightfromfallingintounwantedplacesandoffersagooddealof
creativitytoitsuse.
Board reflectors – are common types of light modifiers. They are a flat surface
constructedtoreflectorlightthephotographer’ssubject.Simpletouse,theyoffergreat
effectswhenusedinsideoroutsideofthestudio.
Theycomeindifferentshapes,sizes,andcolorsandofcourseeachtypeofboardreflector
willhaveadifferenteffectonyourimage.Thereareboard
reflectorsthatcomeinsilver,goldandwhite.Whenyouarechoosingwhattypeofboard
reflector touse (orpurchase),youneed to remember thatawarm toned reflector (gold)
will give your photo awarmer effect, a silver reflectorwill bounce cool light on your
subject.Thewhiteonestypicallysoftenandfilterlightcomingthroughtothesubject,for
instance,inbrightsunlight,orifanareaofastudiolightistoobright.Conversely, there
arealsoblackonesthatcanbeusedtoblocklightfromcertainareasofthesubject.
Other factorsyouneed toconsiderwhenshopping forboard reflectorswouldbe if it is
double sided (if both sides of the reflector are made of the same material) and
collapsibility(howeasyitistofoldandputawaytostore).
Boardreflectorsareusedtobouncelightfromthemainsourcetothesubjectinyour
photographyinspecificareas.Itisalsousedtoreflectlighttoanotherpartofthesubject
togetfilllightingontotheotherside,thisisespeciallyimportantifonesideofthesubject
istoodark,andifyouwanttolightuptheeyearea,orunderthechinwheresometimes
shadowsgettoodark.
Sometimestheyareheldbyalightingstand,orsometimesanassistantwillholdthemin
thepositionthephotographerwants.
UsingOffCameraFlash
Mostpeoplewhoworkinaphotostudioandusestrobeorflashastheirlightingsource,
typicallydonotusethecamera’sflash,duetoitsharshandunflatteringeffect.Incamera
flashhasitslimitsofhowmuchcontrolthephotographerhasthroughflashexposure
compensation,and(moreoftenthannot)cannottriggerotherflash/strobeunits.
Sohowdoesaphotographersignaltheflashtofirewhenclickingtheshutterbuttononthe
camera?Answer:Wirelesstrigger.
Anelectronicdevicethatcanbeattachedtothecamera’shotshoe,signalstheradio
receivertofireflashunitsattachedtothem,allowingthephotographerfreedomtomove
aroundandtheflashunitsaswell(ifdesired).
Wirelesstriggerscomesindifferentshapes,sizes,andcosts.Youcanfindthematyour
preferredphotographyequipmentsupplier.
Theonlydownsidetowirelesstriggersisthattheyarepronetointerference,sincethey
utilizeradiosignals.Youmayhavetotoggleyourtriggertogetthebestchannelwithout
anyinterferenceduringimportantshoots.
ControllingLight
Nowthatwehavediscussedlightmodifiersabove,it’stimetodiscusshowtocontrolthe
lights. Lightmodifiersare toolsofcontrolling light,whereyoucangetsofter flattering
light,oryoucandirect the light to fallon tospecifiedplaceson thesubjectornear the
subject,dependingontheeffectyouaregoingafter.
Shutter speed, aperture and ASA/ISO; each setting affects the exposure of the film or
sensor. Shutter speed dictates the duration of the film or sensor’s exposure to light.
Apertureistheopeningofthelensthatallowshowmuchlightcomesin.ISOorASAis
thesensitivityofthefilmorthedigitalsensortothelight.
Nowwe’llbeaddingafewmorevariablesintotheexposuretriangle. Poweroutputfor
flash/light.Eachtypeoflightingequipmentthatwehaveelaboratedhere,hasaswitchor
togglethatallowsyoutoincreaseordecreasethepoweroutputfromyoursteadylightor
strobe. This iswhere studying themanual of eachpiece of equipmentwill come in to
play,inordertomaximizefullcontrolofyourlightingequipment.
Ifyouhavealimitedwayofcontrollingyourlightingequipment,anotherwaytointensify
or weaken the light on your subject is distance. Moving your light or strobe closer
increasesthelightonyoursubject,movingitfurtherawayfromyoursubjectwilldecrease
thelightfallingonyoursubject.
BackgroundandBackdrops
We should also look into using background and backdrops. Aside from just getting
backgrounds you should also consider a support system on how to support or hold up
thosebackdrops.
Aside from using paper as material for your backdrops you can consider using vinyl
backgrounds that canbe cleanedup after a shoot.Some shoots canget reallydirty and
messy,thushavingtheoptiontobeabletowipeitcleancanbeabigadvantageforyouin
thelongrun.
Youmightalsowanttoconsiderlookingintohookstohangyourbackdropstothewallof
yourhomestudio.
Aside from paper and vinyl you can also consider fabric backgrounds, muslin being a
popularchoice.Therearemanycreativeandbeautifuloptionsoutthere.Whenchoosing
however,keepinmindyoursubject,youdon’twantabackdropthatwillbesobusythatis
distractsfromyoursubject.
PuttingitTogether-SettingyourLights/Flash
Now that all hasbeen said anddone, it’s time to start settingupyour lights and taking
photos!Youmay be overwhelmedwith how to get your photography lights set up, but
therearesomesurprisinglyeasytechniquestotryoutbeforeexperimentingonyourown,
whichwe’llcovershortly.
Keepinmindthatthisprocessisabitoftrialanderror.You’llneedtoexperimentwith
boththedistanceyoursubjectisfromthebackground,aswellasthedistanceofthelights
toyoursubject.Movingeitherthesubject,orthelightscloserorfurtherapartwillchange
thelightingeffects.Anotherfactorthatcanbetested,iswhenusingflashlightingtotry
differentpowersettings(suchas25,50,75or100%power)toseehowthateffectsyour
results.
You’llalsowanttogainexperiencewithyourcameraandthesettingsaswell,aswhatyou
choosewillimpactyourimages.Aroughstartingpointtotryisonmanualmode,setting
theISOto100,theshutterspeedto1/125thofasecond,andapertureatF11.
You’llwant to set up your backdrop, orwhatever you choose to use as a background.
Placeyoursubjectabout3feetinfrontofyourbackground.Afteryou’vetakenasample
or two pictures, if you find you are getting unwanted shadows of the subject on the
background, trymovingyour subject even furtheraway from thebackground,until that
shadowdisappears.
TheRembrandt
Whatyouwillneed:
OneFlashHead/continuouslight
OneReflector
TwoLightStands
RembrandtLighting
TheRembrandt isexcellent forartsyshotswithdepth, it tends tohaveamoredramatic
effect.Thefamousartistusedthistypeoflightingformanyofhispaintings.Themain
characteristicofthislightingsetupisaninverted,smalltriangleoflightontheperson’s
cheek that is on the opposite side of the light source. This triangular shadow created
shouldnotbewiderthantheeye,norlongerthanthenose.
Trytoget‘catchlights’(thatisareflectioninyoursubject’seyesofthelightsource),so
the eyes look alive. This lighting is flattering for peoplewith round faces because its
slimmingandaddsdimension.Atthesametime,it’snotagoodchoiceforsomeonewith
anarrow,angularfaceshape.
ThebasicsetupforRembrandtlightingistoplaceyourmainlightsource45degreesfrom
thesubjectandslightlyhigher thaneye level. Youwant tobe lighting thesideofyour
subject’s face that is furthest away from the camera. Place a reflector (sometimes a
smallerfilllightisusedinstead,at50%powerofthemainlight),45degreesfromtheside
ofthefacethatisinshadow.Thislightsareasofhardlightforasoftereffect.
HereisaportraitdoneofRembrandtlighting.
Clamshellsetup(onelight)
Whatyouwillneed:
Oneflashhead/continuouslight
Onereflector
Onesoftbox
Onelightstand
OneLightClamshellSetUp
SimilarwiththeRembrandtsetup,butthistimeyourkeylightwillbeplacedinfrontand
aboveyoursubject.Tiltthesoftboxtofaceyoursubjectandpositionitabout4-6feetfrom
yoursubject.Thiswillbe lightingupyour subject from the topofhisheadandwillbe
casting strong shadows under the nose, lips, and chin. Tominimize the hard shadow,
placethereflectorbelowtheface.
Clamshell1Portrait
TheClamshell(2lights/strobe)
Fromaonelightsetup,wewillnowmoveontoatwolightsetup.
Whatyouwillneed:
Twosoftboxes&stands(onelargerthantheother)
Clamshell2LightSetUp
TheClamshelllightingtechniqueisusedtocaptureeverydetailinyoursubjectusingeven
light.
TheClamshell lighting technique is sometimesused forglamour imagesdue to flatand
evenlightingitprovides.
Placealargesoftboxlighttothefrontofyoursubjectandsomewhathigherinheight.The
secondsoftboxlightshouldbesmallerandplacedunderneaththefirstsoftbox.Consider
thisoneyourfilllightanditshouldbetiltedslightlyupwards.Thegoalistolightupthe
shadowsthetoplightwillproduce,inordertogiveveryevenlighting.
Thetrickypartofthissetupisgettingyourlightsinproperproportiontoeachother.The
smaller fill light should be on at considerably less power output than the main light.
Experimentstartingatabout1/4thelightpowerasthelargesoftbox,thenadjustingfrom
there until you get the effect you are looking for. You will also need to try different
optionsconcerninghowclosethelightsaretoyoursubject.
Clamshell2Portrait
RimLighting
TheRimLightingtechnique(sometimesalsocalledProfilelighting,Backlighting,Edge,
orclassic3pointlighting)isusedtocreateanexcitingstylewithgooddefinitionofthe
sidesofyoursubject.Thislightingtechniqueseparatesyoursubjectfromthe
backgroundwhilegivingthesilhouetteagleaminglight.
Whatyouwillneed:
2Flashheadsorcontinuouslights
1Backgroundlight
1Reflector
1HairlightorSnoot
RimLighting
You’ll first want to set up your back light. It shines behind your subject toward the
camera. Mostoften there’sa90degreerangewhere this lightcanbeset,dependingon
where in thesilhouetteyouwant the lightededge toappear. You’llmost likelyneed to
adjust this, until youget it right for the effect you are going for. Keep inmindheight
whensettingthislight,manytimesthislightshouldbesetslightlyhigherthantherest.
Lensflarecouldbeanissuewiththismethod,sousingalenshoodorashieldisaneasy
fix.Yoursubjectshouldblockthislightwiththeirbody.
Nextyouwillsetupyourkeylight.Essentially,thisisyourmainlightandshouldhave
themostintenselightofallofthem.Itissetupusuallytotherightofthecameraata45
degreeangle.
Whenthemainkeylighthasbeensetup,thenaddasmallerfilllightontheoppositeside
of thesubject. Thepurposeof this light is toslightlyaddsoft light to thedeepshadow
areas.
Optionalifneeded,isareflectorbehindthesubjectacrossfromthemainkeylightifthat
areaneedsabitofaboost.
Ifyouwanttouseaseparatehairlight,orsnoot;nowisthetimetosetitupbehindyour
subjecttolighttheirhair.Playwiththeheightonthis.
Acoupleofthingstokeepinmind,ifyoursubjectisbald,youwillwantthebacklightto
be lower inheight. Watchtoseehowmuchedgelightingyouaregetting,whether it is
justasidegleam,orafullblownbodyhalo.Adjustthebacklightineitherintensity(ifit
isadjustable),ordistanceinrelationtoyoursubjecttogetthedesiredlook.
RimLightingPortrait
ParamountorButterflyLighting
Whatyou’llneed:
Background
Backgroundlight
Keylight
Filllight
Hairlightorsnoot
Reflector
ParamountorButterflyLightingSetUp
Paramount lighting is sometimes also called butterfly, or glamour lighting. It is
considered mostly a feminine lighting pattern. It creates a butterfly type shadow
underneath themodel’snoseandemphasizesgoodskinandhighcheekbones. It should
notbeusedforpeoplewithdeepseteyesasitwillnotbeflatteringinthosecases.
One you have setup your background, you’ll need to shine a light towards the
background. This is placed low. This will help create a separation between the
backgroundandyoursubject.
Seatorallowyoursubjecttostand,atleast3feetawayfromthebackground.Youmay
needtoadjustthisdistancelater.
Thekey light is set upnext. It is placeddirectly in front of your subject’s face and is
placedhighandfairlyclosetothesubject.
Thefilllightisthenputinplace.Itisplaceddirectlyunderthekeylight(atlesspower
output),pointingatthesubject’sface.
Areflectorwillneedtobeusedoppositeoftheselights,andclosetoyoursubject,sothe
bouncedlightcanlightenandfilldeepshadowsthatareproducedontheshadedcheekand
neckareas.
Placethehairlightinanoppositepositionasthekeylight. Itshouldonlylightthehair
andnotspillontoyoursubject’sfacialarea.
Aswithallthesetups,testandre-adjusttogetthelightingjustright.
ParamountLightingPortrait
LoopLighting
Whatyou’llneed:
Backgroundandbackgroundlight
KeyLight
FillLight
HairLight
:
LoopLightingSetUp
Thelightingtechniqueknownaslooplighting,isasmallvariationoftheparamountset
up.Itiswidelyused,duetoitsbeingflatteringforpeoplewithovalshaped,oraverage
faces.
Firstsetupyourbackgroundandpointalighttoyourbackground,setlow.
Yoursubjectshouldbeplacedatleast3feetawayfromyourbackground.Thisdistance
mightneedtobeadjustedlater.
Setyourkey(main)lightslightlylowerandmoretoonesideofyoursubjectthanthatof
theparamount.Theshadowproducedunderthenoselooksmorelikeasmallloopthana
butterfly,ontheshadowsideofthesubject’sface.
Nextplaceyourfill light(lowerpoweroutput),ontheoppositesideof thecamerafrom
thekeylight.Ensurethatthisfilllightisnotcastingitsownshadow,astheoveralleffect
shouldstillhavethecharacteristicsofaone-lightportrait.Theplacetocheckthisisinthe
camera.Thefilllightshouldonlybesofteningandlightingupthedarkestshadowareas.
Placethehairlightintheoppositepositionasthekeylight.Itshouldonlylightthehair
andnotspillontoyoursubject’sfacialarea.
Test, test and re-test. You may need to adjust distance of light to subject, subject to
background,andheightoflighttogetthedesiredeffect.
Alllightingsetupsareacreativeprocess,sodon’tbeafraidtomakeadjustmentsandtry
new things. It all boils down to the visual appearance that is pleasing to you as a
photographer,andthatofthepersonyouarephotographing.
Looplightingportrait
TakingCareofYourEquipment
Anyone setting up their own home photography studio knows the cost investment that
goesintopurchasingallthestudioequipment.Thatiswhyitisimperativetotakeproper
careofthatequipmenttoensurekeepingitinpristineworkingcondition.
Keepinmindthatshootinginthestudiocanmeanworkingforlonghoursandattheend
of theday, youmaybe tempted to just leaveyour photography and lighting equipment
lyingaround.Nomatterhowstrongthetemptationis,makesurethatyoutaketheextra
timetopackupyourphotographyequipmentafterusingit. Ifit isdusty,wipeitdown
beforepackingaway,keepitcleanwithadry,softcloth.
Youneedtomakesuretokeepallofyourequipmentinacleananddryenvironment,as
thishelpsimprovetheconditionandlengthenthelifespanofyourphotographyequipment
youworkedhardtoown.Inthelongrun,youareprotecting,andmakingthemostofthe
investmentthatyoumade.
Ifyouarephotographingchildrenoranimals(oranyone),doeverythingyoucantokeep
themfromtrippingovercordsorknockingequipmentdown.Enlisttheaidofparentsor
otheradultsresponsible,tohelpkeepthingscalm,enforceanorunningruleandanyother
suggestionstokeepboththemandyourequipmentsafe.
ThingstoRemember
Now that you’ve read about how to setup your own photography studio at home, you
mightaswellstartgettingyoursdoneright?Justremembernottogetfrustratedalongthe
way,especiallywhenyouareworkingonafixedbudgetforyourstudio.Thereisavery
reallearningcurvetothisanditdoestakepracticetomaster.
A home photography studio would rely greatly on lights and lighting equipment,
remembertomastereachlightingequipmentbeforegivingupduetolackofexperience.
Keepontryingoutdifferenttechniquestoensurethatyoumakethemostofeachpieceof
lightingequipmentthatyouhave,havefunandexperimentalso,tofindnewandcreative
effects.
Youshouldalsolookintothegrowthanddevelopmentofyourhomestudio;onlythenwill
youbeable togrowasaphotographeraswell.Theworldofphotography is constantly
changingandinordertoremainrelevant,youhavetokeepupwiththechangingtimes.
Settingupyourownhomestudiodoesnothappeninaninstant;workhardandmakesure
thatyoukeepyourpassiontolearnandgrowinyourphotographyskills,andprettysoon
you’llbecreatingbeautifulphotographsinyourveryownstudio!
ByAmberRichards
Ifyouenjoyedthisbookorreceivedvaluefromitinanyway,wouldyoubekindenough
toleaveareviewforthisbookonAmazon?Iwouldbesograteful.Thankyou!