I've had to reconsider most of what I thought I knew about lighting over the past few weeks. I've learned that you can't take good pictures in direct sunlight. So, if it is sunny, you either find shadows or you go into the studio. The Studio is a sacred room, a dark room with curtains covering the windows (if there are any) where no natural (sun)light is allowed to enter. (Why do the word 'vampire' come into mind?) In the Studio you fake sunlight in order to take nice photos. (I wonder what Sigmund Freud would have to say about such substitute behavior...)
Lights can do magic to a photo. You can play around with lights in order to make someone look more (or less) dashing. There is a number of combinations depending on what you want to say with the photo. There are also different types of lights, mostly depending on the model, for example the lighting of a male model differs from that of a female model. This is also the way of creating dramatic effects in your photographs. Try thinking old, black-and-white horror movies, you'll know exactly what I mean.
First, you have your key light. That can be a smaller spot light with a little disc to direct the light beam or a bigger light with an umbrella. You can smooth the light with cloth or some type of filter (that's usually what you want to do when photographing a woman). This is to highlight what you want to be the main thing in your photograph. When taking profile pictures, you usually want this light directed at your models face. Otherwise it would look pretty damn silly.
You also need some lights behind/on the sides of the model to outline his/her shape on the photo. These accent lights, soft-boxes are often rectangular. And then there's the fill light, usually behind the photographer. Then, depending on what you want the photograph to look like, you can add additional accent lights on the sides or above the model's head. Just don't forget that &/)%#¤% background! It needs lighting too, believe it or not. It can also help outlining the model by bouncing lights of it. When you're really good at this, then you put up fake walls to bounce the light off to add to the effect...
The second challenge is where to position your lights. It depends on what you want to highlight. There are also considerable differences regarding the distance between the light and the model. No, of course it is not at easy at it seem! That would probably be cheating and I'm pretty sure there is one (or more) EU regulation(s) concerning this lying around somewhere...
So, once you have determined what you want to do and how to position your lights, you also need to consider the intensity. The easy way to do that is by trying and adjusting the lights accordingly. There are also different types of lights, normal spotlights, normal light-bulbs, neon lights, flashlight, different colors, there is a whole industry around this. And a whole lot of cable, mind your feet.
And don't forget that little gadget you attach to your camera for the flash to go off....
You start of with an idea of what you want to do. Said idea will change. By the time you get to the Studio and lighting-part you already have your model, make-up, hair, clothing, accessories and faithful assistant(s) figured out. So, after careful consideration and a great deal of planning including sleepless nights, blood, sweat and tears, you come up with a plan for your Studio-time and lighting. Said plan would look something like this:
So, following your plan (above), you'll end up with something like this:
Which you then photoshop to look something like this:
If your lucky. Or Heidi Järvi.
You also need some lights behind/on the sides of the model to outline his/her shape on the photo. These accent lights, soft-boxes are often rectangular. And then there's the fill light, usually behind the photographer. Then, depending on what you want the photograph to look like, you can add additional accent lights on the sides or above the model's head. Just don't forget that &/)%#¤% background! It needs lighting too, believe it or not. It can also help outlining the model by bouncing lights of it. When you're really good at this, then you put up fake walls to bounce the light off to add to the effect...
The second challenge is where to position your lights. It depends on what you want to highlight. There are also considerable differences regarding the distance between the light and the model. No, of course it is not at easy at it seem! That would probably be cheating and I'm pretty sure there is one (or more) EU regulation(s) concerning this lying around somewhere...
So, once you have determined what you want to do and how to position your lights, you also need to consider the intensity. The easy way to do that is by trying and adjusting the lights accordingly. There are also different types of lights, normal spotlights, normal light-bulbs, neon lights, flashlight, different colors, there is a whole industry around this. And a whole lot of cable, mind your feet.
And don't forget that little gadget you attach to your camera for the flash to go off....
You start of with an idea of what you want to do. Said idea will change. By the time you get to the Studio and lighting-part you already have your model, make-up, hair, clothing, accessories and faithful assistant(s) figured out. So, after careful consideration and a great deal of planning including sleepless nights, blood, sweat and tears, you come up with a plan for your Studio-time and lighting. Said plan would look something like this:
© Heidi Järvi
So, following your plan (above), you'll end up with something like this:
DRAFT © Heidi Järvi
Which you then photoshop to look something like this:
© Heidi Järvi
If your lucky. Or Heidi Järvi.
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