 Backdrop can be a gray, brown, or blue sheet.
1
Subject Here
3
2
Basic Studio Lighting
Interested in portrait photography? Well if you can afford three umbrella lights
I can tell you how to set up a basic studio lighting configuration. It won’t
guarantee perfect photos but it will get you started. First you need a neutral
background, this doesn’t mean a gray back drop necessarily but that is the
standard. Most everyone looks fine against gray. Keep in mind you don’t need to
buy expensive paper roll back drops. A clothes line and some good quality sheets
do the job too.
Refer to this diagram as I go through the positions of each light and why you
need it there.
The rectangle is your back drop. The circle is
your portrait subject. Make sure there is at least one foot or even two feet
between the subject and the back drop. We’re going to create some depth to this
simple set up.
The arrow pointing to the back drop is light
number 1. This light needs to be pointed up at the back drop with the circle of
light right behind the subject's head. This will create a nice halo effect that
will make sure your subject doesn’t melt into the background, and it will make
sure that there is some depth to the image.
The larger arrow on the right is light number
two. This light needs to be back almost next to you and aim the light up at the
ceiling if possible. This will bounce a nice soft light upon your subject. Keep
this light soft. Everyone looks good in soft light.
The smaller arrow that is pointing to your
subject and closest to them is light number 3. Ideally this light should be
smaller than the other two but it doesn’t have to be. This light needs to be
aimed at your subjects face, centered on their eye level, so that you get that
nice sparkle in their eyes. Be careful that the light isn’t too harsh, back it
up if you need to.
You can also get away with only light number 1
and 3. If you have a flash on your camera you can aim it at the ceiling,
bouncing the light, and get the same effect as placing a light at position 2.
This is your basic lighting set up for portrait
work. Keep in mind that this set up assumes that your subject is facing you or
at a three quarter position to your camera.
This should get you started on a basic lighting
set up. Remember you can experiment but always start with the good old basics
and learn why they work so well before you start experimenting with different
lighting set ups.
Copyright 2004 Kelly Paal
Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting
nationally and internationally. She started her own business Kelly Paal
Photography. She has an educational background in photography, business, and
commercial art. Please visit www.kellypaalphotography.com for more FREE how to
articles.
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