What can't photography be without? That's right: no light. There are two main types of light: natural and artificial. Natural is the sun, of course. Artificial is divided into permanent and pulsed. Today we will talk about artificial constant light, that is, about working in the studio. The topic of today's article is ten basic schemes for photographing.
Let's immediately decide what types of studio light are.
There are four of them: back, background, fill, drawing. According to the classical tradition, they should be set back to the order that we have indicated here. But we believe that times are changing and nothing stands still, including photography.
Light characteristics
There are criteria by which light is judged. And you must learn them all so that it is easier to perceive the contents of our article further.
- Soft / hard light. That is a characteristic of the nature of light. Soft light is often made synonymous with "diffused", which is not entirely true. This is a one-sided understanding. Better to say, in soft light, the light surface area is larger when compared to the object. Hard is a directional light (it creates deep shadows, the gradient is small, the contrast is high). In hard there is more drama, brightness.
- How do we get light? What character: directed, scattered or reflected?
- Orientation. The model is taken as a reference point and this is how it is directed relative to it (frontally, sideways, back-to-back, up or down), this is how the direction is called.
- Nature of the source. This is where we started. That is, about artificial or natural light is being discussed.
- Colorful temperature(measured in Kelvin). This value characterizes the warmth or coldness of light. The concept of color temperature is inextricably linked with another fundamental term "white balance".
Types of light sources
background
Background light, as the name suggests, illuminates the background. It uses directional or soft and scattered light. the main task background light - highlight the subject, separate the model from the background. If you want the perfect White background, then a more powerful light should be directed to the backdrop than to the object.
If you have a colored background and you are faced with the task of emphasizing the subject being photographed, then less powerful light is directed to the background than to the model. Background light is set depending on the set creative task.
Back (back)
From the word counter (counter). As the name suggests, it is responsible for creating the outline. Exposed behind the model (between the subject and the background). The light contour emitted with the help of this light can have several functions: imitation of air haze, highlighting the texture, playing with light on transparent and translucent subjects.
Accordingly: the closer the light source is to the camera, the larger the contour strip and the farther, the narrower. More or less clear?
filling
As we have already said, in classical photography, the story about light sources begins with him. The function of this light source is to illuminate the model in a balanced way, that is, to make the details become clearly visible, and visible shadows, on the contrary, are removed. When setting up, you can rely on levels.
Filling with light is added when reaching twenty or thirty levels of shadows. Equalizing light is also emitted. It is responsible for lighting the shadow areas of the model, it is set in the opposite direction from the painter.
Drawing (key light)
It is also called "key light". This is the main light in any scheme.
He, according to his name, is responsible for drawing the main volumes, shapes and textures of the model. Usually, a side light is used for it, which is raised a little higher than the top point of the model.
How is the light set up?
- We set the average power on the light source;
- We make a test frame, analyze the resulting version;
- We make adjustments for power - more or less (depending on what we need to get);
- Move to the next source.
Standard camera setting for studio shooting:
- ISO - 100, shutter speed - 1/160, F - 8.
Ten schemes for studio shooting
The pinnacle of our program. Before moving on to the main topic, we note that it is important to first learn how to control two light sources. Once you have mastered them perfectly, five, six, or fifteen sources will not be a problem for you. Plus two sources - this is the standard.
Scheme number one
It uses a monoblock and a plate. Yes, the background is white. The output is a hard drawing with a clear transition between shadow and light, without a gradient (smooth transition).
The model is located in this case close to the background. In this case, the front light will give a good dense and short shadow. It looks very cool. As for the monoblock, the use cases depend on your author's concept. Orientation: if the monoblock is located above the model, the length of the shadow will be longer. And the higher, the longer. In this case, we recommend using a crane stand, which has undoubted advantages over a conventional stand, because it can be placed strictly opposite the subject of the shooting and it will not interfere with you in the process.
Scheme number two
In this case, the use of two sources is implied (two monoblocks plus two white umbrellas). And a white background. We put the light on a diagonal plane. The key, that is, the key light, is the main source here.
It gives softness. Further - filling, it performs an auxiliary function, that is, it is designed to remove gaps in the shadows on the right. It also adds volume portrait photography. We recommend turning the object ¾ to the camera. The key light is placed opposite / slightly above the face. The filler focuses on shoulder level. The light in the background should be evenly distributed. Adjust the power and try to slightly change the angle of the sources.
Plan number three
Equipment: monoblocks, white background and white umbrellas. We put the light at eye level / slightly above the object - on the right and left. Deep shadows are excluded.
Diagram number four
One source. Equipment: a monoblock, an umbrella that is translucent and, finally, we change the white background to black. The monoblock is displayed at the level of the head. As a result, depth and character should appear in the picture.
Another thing is that this option is suitable for some models, not for others. Ask her to move some distance away from the back.
Diagram number five
Two sources. Monoblock, umbrellas "to the light" plus a black backdrop. We put two sources on the left side and on the right side, slightly diagonally relative to the object. The key light plays the role of the main one, so we put it on the left.
Thanks to him, a triangle of light appears on the face of the model. We put the backlight on the right side, with the help of it we will give the object volume, highlighting the figure and hair. You can lighten up the background a bit, so we get a dark gray gradient. Experiment with the power of the light and its angle of incidence, as well as the position of the model relative to the background.
Scheme number six
Two sources plus a black background, diffuser (“cup” supplied with the monoblock). Each of the sources is placed, respectively, diagonally to the right and diagonally to the left of the object.
The key light (main) is placed in front of the model, thanks to which we get uniform illumination of the scene throughout the shooting space. The second, back source, is placed at the back and to the right.
An additional source will give rigidity to the light key, while adding volume. The diffuser will help you get cool, chiaroscuro transitions, characterized by a special rigidity, without a gradient.
Scheme number seven
Initial data: pair of sources (monoblocks, umbrellas), white backdrop. We put the light on the left and right at 90 degrees. The task of light sources is filling. At the output, we will get a beautiful black and white pattern on the left and right sides.
Interestingly, we get deep shadows in the center of the face of the person being photographed. The portrait is expressive, even brutal. Accordingly, this is a more suitable option for male models. The white background is not pure white, but takes on gray shades.
Diagram number eight. "Hollywood portrait"
Monoblock, reflector type "plate", monoblock and "cup". Here we work with a white background. The plate is placed in front, just above the subject's eye line. The output is a "butterfly", that is, an interesting shadow falling from the nose of the model.
The name of the scheme is justified by the fact that there is indeed a tradition in the American film industry to make such portraits. The higher we set the reflex light, the longer the shadow falling from the nose. We place the model a meter from the backdrop, a shadow should fall on it. The frame is characterized by density.
We set the backlight additionally, behind the model, at shoulder height. The result is a drawing of hair plus volume.
Diagram number nine
This option is similar to the third scheme. Monoblocks are placed in the same way.
Umbrellas are white and the background is the same color. But here we do not use pulsed light. There will be less light power here, due to which you can get a shallow depth of field, which is very cool for a portrait.
Last scheme. rembrandt
One of the most common and effective schemes. It works on the contrast between the dark and light part of the photo, due to which such a volume is obtained. Named after the Renaissance artist, because it was his favorite technique of playing with light and shadow. Now considered a classic of portrait photography.
One source is used (where we started, so we will end). It is placed at a distance of 1.5 meters relative to the model, above the head and 2 meters from the camera. The angle of incidence of light is 45 degrees.
The distance from the camera and model also depends on the nature of the light, as well as on individual characteristics model appearance. We use a key light, a reflector (45 degrees from the flash) to highlight the shadows, and also not to lose elements of the photo in the shadows.
Epilogue
In conclusion, we want to say that the main thing in our business is practice, practice and again - practice. And it doesn't matter what these circuits are called, it is important that it does not sound like an abstraction to you. Try, experiment and you will succeed.
In a classic portrait, there are a few things to keep in mind and think about how to make the most winning portrait of the model, showing her from the best side. This is the ratio of illumination, light and shade pattern, type of face and angle of view. I suggest you get familiar with these basic concepts, because in order to break the rules, you need to know them. However, if you study well and apply this knowledge in practice, it will help you shoot portraits of people much better. This article focuses on lighting patterns: what they are and why it is important to know and use them. Perhaps in the future, in other articles, if you like, I will talk about other components of a good photo portrait.
I define black and white drawing as the play of light and shadow on the face, creating various forms. Simply put, it is the shape of the shadows on the face. There are four main lighting schemes for a portrait:
- Side lighting
- Loop lighting or "loop" scheme
- Scheme rembrandt light
- Butterfly pattern
There is also the concept of wide and short light, this is more of a lighting style and can be combined with most of the schemes above. Let's look at each scheme individually.
1. Side light
Side light breaks the face into two equal parts, one of which is illuminated and the other is in shadow. It is often used to create dramatic portraits, such as a portrait of a musician or an artist. Such light is more suitable for male portraits and, as a rule, is rarely used for female portraits. However, keep in mind that there are no hard and fast rules in photography, so I suggest that you use the information received as a starting point or guideline. Until you are sure of your knowledge, it is better to proceed as the classic guides suggest.
To achieve the effect of side light, you just need to put the light source at an angle of 90 degrees to the left or right of the model, sometimes even slightly behind the head. The placement and position of the light source will depend on the person's face. See how the light falls on the face, and move the source. With the correct setting of the side light in the eye, there should be a glare on the shadow side of the face. If this does not get rid of light on the cheek, it is possible that this type of face is not suitable for side light.
Note: any lighting scheme can be used with any head rotation (frontal, when both ears are visible, a ¾ face, or even a profile). Just keep in mind that the position of the light source must change in accordance with the rotation of the head, in order to maintain the desired cut-off pattern.
What is a "glare"?
Please note that in the photo above, there are reflections of the light source in the eyes of the child. They have the appearance of small white specks, but if we look closer, we can see the shape of the source that I used when shooting this portrait.
Look, is this bright spot actually a hexagon with a dark center? This is a small hexagonal softbox on mine. Canon flash which I used to shoot.
This is the "glare". Without glare, the eyes appear dark and lifeless. You need to make sure that there is a highlight in at least one of the model's eyes in order for the picture to come alive. Note that the highlight also brightens the iris and generally makes the eyes brighter. This enhances the feeling of life and gives them shine.
2. Loop lighting
Loop lighting creates a slight shadow from the nose on the cheek. To get such lighting, you need to place the source slightly above eye level and at an angle of 30-45 degrees from the camera (depending on the person's face, for correct setting any scheme needs to learn to read people's faces).
Look at this photo to see how the shadow is cast and on the left side you will also be able to see a small shadow from the nose. In the loop scheme, the shadow from the nose should not go too far on the cheek, and even more so it should not merge with the shadow from the cheek. Try to keep the shadow small and look down a little, but keep in mind that if the source is raised too high, the shadows may look strange, and the glare in the eyes may also disappear. The loop circuit seems to be the most popular as it is easy to create and suits most people.
In this diagram, the black background represents the tree background. The sunlight comes from behind the trees, but they are completely in the shade. A white reflector, located to the left of the camera, reflects the light back onto the subjects' faces. By choosing the location of the reflector, you can change the illumination of people's faces. Loop lighting is achieved by positioning it about 30-45 degrees from the camera. The reflector should also be positioned just above their eye level so that the shadow from the nose falls slightly down to the corner of the mouth. One of the most common beginner mistakes is placing the reflector low and tilting it. As a result, the face and nose are highlighted from below, which looks ugly.
3. Rembrandt light
The scheme is called Rembrandtian because Rembrandt's paintings often feature this type of lighting, as can be seen in his self-portrait above. Rembrandt lighting is defined by the presence of a light triangle on the cheek. In contrast to the loop light, where the shadow from the nose and cheek does not close, here they merge together, which creates a light triangle on the shadow side on the cheek under the eye. To create a correct scheme, you must make sure that there is a glare from the light source in the eye on the shadow side, otherwise the eyes will be "dead", without a pleasant shine. Rembrandt's lighting is more dramatic, as the chiaroscuro pattern creates a more restless mood in the portrait. Use it appropriately.
To create Rembrandt lighting, the model needs to be slightly away from the light. The source should be above the top of the head so that the shadow from the nose falls on the cheek. Not every face is suitable for this scheme. If it has high or prominent cheekbones, the scheme may work. If the model has a small nose or a flat nose bridge, this lighting can be difficult to achieve. Again, remember that you don't have to make this particular circuit with this particular model. Choose what will emphasize the advantages of the model and present it in the most beneficial way. Then the lighting will work as it should. If you are using a window as a light source and the light from the window hits the floor, you may need to cover the bottom of the window with a gobo or panel to achieve this type of lighting.
4. Butterfly pattern
This pattern is aptly named "butterfly" for the shape of the nose shadow that is created. if the light source is placed above and directly behind the camera. Basically, with this scheme, the photographer is under the light source. The "butterfly" scheme is often used to shoot glamor, emphasizing the cheekbones of the model. It is also suitable for photographing older people, since, unlike other schemes, it emphasizes wrinkles less.
The butterfly pattern is created by a light source just behind the camera and slightly above the eyes or head, depending on the type of face. Sometimes the scheme is supplemented with a reflector right under the chin, the model can even hold it herself. This scheme is suitable for models with beautiful cheekbones and a narrow face. A round or wide face will look better with a loop scheme or even side light. This pattern is more difficult to create with light from a window or reflector. Often, to make shadows more pronounced, a more powerful and directional light source, such as the sun or a flash, is needed.
5. Wide coverage
Broad lighting is not so much a pattern or scheme as it is a style or variation. Any of the following schemes can be done with wide or short light: loop, Rembrandt, side light.
Wide lighting is when the person's face is slightly turned and the side of the face that is closer to the camera is illuminated. In terms of area, the illuminated side is larger than the shadow side. Wide lighting is sometimes used for style portraits. high key. This type of lighting makes a person's face look wider (hence the name) and can be used on models with a narrow face to make them appear wider. Most people, however, want to look slimmer, not wider, so this lighting is best avoided for wide and round faces.
To create wide coverage, the face must be turned away from the light source. Note that the side of the face closest to the camera is lit, and the shadow is cast on the far side. Simply put, a wide light illuminates most of the face that we see.
6. Short lighting
Short coverage is the opposite of wide coverage. As you can see in the image above, in short light, the side of the face facing the camera (wide) is in shadow, and the side farthest from the camera (narrow) is illuminated. This type of lighting is often used for low key or dark portraits. It makes the face more voluminous, sculptural, visually narrows the wide face, which most people like.
For this scheme, the face should be facing the light source. Note that this illuminates the side of the face away from the camera, and casts a shadow on the side facing the camera. Simply put, in short light, most of the face that we see is in shadow.
Putting it all together
Once you learn to recognize and create each of the lighting schemes, learn how to apply them in different situations. By studying people's faces, you will know which lighting scheme better fit of this particular person in order to create a mood in the portrait and show the person in the best way. If a person has a round face and wants to appear slimmer, then they should be lit differently than a person who wants to take a dramatic picture. When you know all the schemes, know how to control the quality of light, its direction and ratio, you will be able to cope with any shooting task.
Of course, it is much easier to change the lighting by moving the source. However, if the source is the sun or a window, you don't move them much. Here, instead of moving the source, you need to change the position of the model or object, rotate them in relation to the light. Or change the location of the camera. Thus, if you cannot move the light source, you need to move yourself and move the subject.
Practical exercises
Choose your subject to shoot (preferably a person, not your dog) and practice creating each of the lighting schemes. which we analyzed:
- Butterfly
- A loop
- Rembrandt
- side light
Keep in mind that there is also wide and short lighting, and apply it to different types of model faces where appropriate. Don't worry about other aspects (light/shadow ratio, fill light, etc.) this moment focus on getting good drawing. Use the light from the window, a floor lamp without a lampshade or the sun, that is, a source with which you can see how the light and shadow fall on the face. I suggest you don't use flash at first, as you don't have enough experience yet to visualize the result before the photo is taken. This can make your learning difficult.
It's also best to start with your face directly facing the camera, with no twists (other than practicing wide and short lighting).
Show us your results and write about the problems you've encountered. I will try to help you solve them so that you and others do not make similar mistakes next time.
For adult portraits, suitable for children's photography. The first task of a photographer when photographing a child is to create a pleasant soft light for a portrait. Another problem is also the natural activity of children, which negates all the efforts of the photographer to create a successful one. What schemes, nevertheless, can help you convey the innocence of the child and his spontaneity, while not too restricting his movement? The examples below will help you solve these problems.
Some basics
In studio photography, the photographer has huge amount options for lighting schemes to create "perfect light". But each is usually based on the use of three or four light sources: drawing, filling, (as an additional fill light) and backlight (to highlight the background or hair of the model).
- The key light creates the main light-and-shadow pattern on the model's face. One of the most simple ways key light control is to change the location of the large softbox relative to the model. This allows you to get a shooting space “flooded” with soft light and at the same time not to worry about the correct position of the baby.
- The fill light is used to highlight the shadows created by the key light on your model's face. Either a second artificial lighting device or a reflector installed opposite the key light source can act as its source. When using a separate fill light source, it is possible to use additional reflectors in conjunction with it. This technique is often used to better fill shadows throughout the model's figure or to create highlights in the eyes.
- Keep the reflector close at hand or mount it on a boom stand for added convenience. An inexpensive and simple reflector can be made from a sandwich panel (PVC sheet). The panel of the desired size can be purchased or cut by yourself. By connecting two sheets at an angle (in the form of the letter "V"), we get a large reflector that can stand on its own and scatter light well. It can also be used as a simple background if the child climbs inside.
The choice of lighting determines how the scene you shoot will look like. You decide. Artificial lighting will give a clear and bright picture. Natural - will make the picture "warm" and soft.
Three simple lighting schemes
So, below are some simple lighting schemes for shooting a portrait in a room with one window.
Scheme A. In this scheme, a large softbox (key light), a 120x240 cm sandwich panel reflector (fill light) and a backlight source (see fig.) are used. The scheme provides a clean cut-off pattern. Soft shadows will nicely emphasize the volume. Good for shooting children who are difficult to hold still. (note: The window is darkened and does not affect the lighting)
Scheme B. In this scheme, light from a window is used as a key light source (an additional video light can be used), a V-shaped reflector made of sandwich panels and a reflector are used to fill in the shadows. The light pattern obtained with this scheme is slightly softer and warmer than in scheme A. In addition, this scheme allows you to shoot in high-speed mode, and you will not miss the slightest emotion on the face of the child.
Scheme C. This setup combines the light from a window (softened by a curtain) and a large softbox as key light to produce a photo in . The fill light comes from a large (1.2 x 2.4 meter) V-shaped reflector placed to the right of the model. It also uses a reflector and a source that illuminates the background. Overall, this scheme produces a bright and attractive high-contrast pattern with well-detailed texture and minimal shadows. Its only drawback is that the model has less freedom to move.
And what schemes for photographing children do you use? Share with colleagues in the comments!
Many aspiring photographers take their first steps with natural photography. Here, nature itself places accents, exposes the light, and the photographer can only see the picture and catch the moment. There are few such "tips" in studio work. It is necessary to independently think over the image, arrange objects and set the light. At the same time, the equipment of photo studios may differ in power, quantity and lighting effects. In this article we want to talk about some of the features of the arrangement of light in a photo studio and its use.
Almost any photo studio has a white background in its arsenal. It allows you to take portrait and subject photos. This is the most common type of work for photographers: photos for documents, photo catalogs for online stores, advertising work, etc. At the same time, in order to get an image on a pure white background, it is not enough just the color of the background itself. Without proper lighting, it will turn out with a gray tint. To do this, photographers use an additional light source for the background - a soft box (light box), which gives a soft diffusing light. And in order for the background to appear pure white in the photo, it is necessary to light it up - to make the background lighting a little brighter than the lighting of the object itself.
However, during professional work more complex rules for arranging light in a photo studio are used. The main indicator here is the exposure - the amount of light received by the photosensitive element; in other words, how much the frame is filled with light. Exposure can be changed with shutter speed and lens aperture. At the same time, determine “by eye” the correct placement lighting fixtures in the studio, it is very difficult to find the necessary shutter speed and aperture opening. Moreover, the concept of “correct exposure” for each frame will be different. In such cases, professionals trust their measurements to an exposure meter or flashmeter - a special measuring technique that allows you to correctly set the aperture and shutter speed, determine the brightness, contrast for each individual photo.
Before starting a photo session, it is necessary to think over in advance the arrangement of lighting devices, the height of their location and possible filters. Next, all the necessary lighting fixtures are set up step by step:
key light- This is the main source of illumination in the lighting scheme. It is he who draws the main volumes of the object, hence the name. In the English-speaking world, this light is called "key light", i.e. key light. Source key light there is usually one, and it is the most powerful compared to the others. Side or top light is classically used as key light.
fill light- light that is used to evenly illuminate the entire scene. It is usually used either to highlight shadows, or to generally equalize the illumination in the frame in order to be able to properly expose the picture at the desired shutter speed and aperture.
modeling light used to create accents (emphasize highlights) or soften individual shadows on the subject. Typically, modeling light is highly focused, and its power is set so as not to interrupt the main cut-off pattern.
Backlight(it is also called contour) is created using a source located behind the model. It is usually used to separate the model from the background, to create accents and artistically highlight the contours of the figure. In classic portrait photography backlight direct either from behind or from behind at an angle (because of the shoulder). Schemes using backlight are the most beautiful. Backlighting looks spectacular in male portraits, and also looks interesting for highlighting the lush hairstyles of girls. By the way, it is thanks to the backlight that the pictures taken at sunset seem so magical!
background light- as you might guess from the name, it is used to highlight the background. The fact is that due to the distance between the background and the model, when using, for example, one light source, the background turns out to be darkened. This does not mean that it must be highlighted, sometimes background light is not used precisely to create such an effect of the depth of space. The light is directed to the background either pointwise (they create a light spot behind the model), or evenly (they illuminate the entire surface of the background equally), or create a soft gradient transition.
Sometimes photographers use leveling light, needed for balance drawing and brightness is between Filling And drawing.
Of course, the simultaneous use of all types of lighting in the studio is impractical and often leads to frank mess in the photograph. In practice, it is quite enough to use schemes with one, two or three light sources, which successfully allow you to perform all creative tasks.
In the following lessons, we will look at various lighting schemes, ranging from the simplest, but at the same time one of the most effective schemes, schemes with a single light source, to complex ones that allow you to correctly photograph nudity and multi-figure compositions.
In the work of probably every portrait photographer, there comes a moment when there is a desire (and it’s good when it coincides with the opportunity) to shoot in the studio. However, studio shooting is not such an easy task. the main task studio lighting- convey the mood of the picture, create and emphasize the volume, using the main tool of the photographer - light.
If you're new to the studio, it's easy to get confused by the variety of softboxes, umbrellas, stripboxes, and studio flashes when there are so many of them. As in any business, to successfully shoot in the studio, you need to know the basics of studio lighting. The more light sources you use, the more difficult and interesting it is to manage them. We have already discussed the differences between soft light and hard light, and now we will analyze the types of studio lighting. This video will help us famous photographer George Rozov.
Let's take a closer look at the light sources presented in the video.
Key light
Key light is the main source of lighting in studio photography. With the help of key light, a cut-off pattern is formed, it is necessary to emphasize the shape and details of the subject. Usually it is set brighter than other sources of the lighting scheme by 1-1.5 stops (stop - the difference between adjacent aperture values).
Fill light
The fill light is used to soften the shadows that come from the key light. It illuminates shadow areas, softening the image and making it less contrasty. Typically, a softbox or reflector (reflective panel) is used for fill light.
Back light (Back Light)
Backlight is designed to create light accents, emphasize texture, highlight hair, separate the subject from the background. Typically, a backlight is a hard point light source that is placed behind the subject.
Background light
As you might guess from the name, it serves to illuminate and create various lighting effects on the background, for example, using special nozzles (gabo) you can simulate the light from a window or blinds.
And now let's move from theory to practice and consider how the listed types of light are involved in creating a photograph.
To create this photo, 4 light sources were used: drawing, filling, backlight (highlighting the hair) and background. Let's start in order
The key light, as seen in the photo, gives harsh contrasting shadows and illuminates only one half of the face.
A fill light was used to soften the shadows and highlight the other half of the face.
Background light was used to separate the model from the background, and backlight was used to highlight the hair.
At first, working with so many sources is quite problematic, and in order to understand the nuances of setting the light well, you can limit yourself to two - drawing and filling.
In this case, a reflector was used as fill light in this case (photo with fill light is not shown), try to match the light sources on the diagram with the result obtained by yourself.
The light sources we have discussed above: drawing, filling, background and backlight form the basis of all studio schemes. For successful shooting in the studio, you need to understand the purpose of each light source and know the specifics of the installation, depending on the result you want to achieve. This book will help you master studio photography, it contains a lot of studio photos with detailed description how they were made, I recommend reading!
Good luck with your shots!
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