Studio Lighting Research
Types of light
Ambient light: The light that is already present in a scene, before any additional lighting is added.
Main light: The light that illuminates the subject being photographed or filmed. It is usually positioned opposite or to the side of the subject to allow it’s light to easily reach and brighten part of the face or body.
Fill light: A supplementary light used in photography that does not change the character of the main light and is used mainly in order to lighten shadows.
Diffused light: A soft light with neither the intensity nor the glare of direct light. It is scattered and comes from all directions. Thus, it seems to wrap around objects. It is softer and does not cast harsh shadows.
Ceiling Bounce: Rather than firing your flashgun pointing directly at your subject, you point it elsewhere typically up or at an angle, bouncing off a wall or ceiling.
Background light: Used to illuminate the background area of a set. The background light will also provide separation between the subject and the background.
Hair light: Generally placed behind the model and about 3 feet above the head, with the light angled down and slightly forward to strike the top of the head and shoulders.
Natural light: The light supplied from the sun - sunlight rather than artificial light from light bulbs.
What colour is daylight?: Daylight is a blueish white mix.
What colour are tungsten bulbs?: Tungsten bulbs portray a warm yellowish colour while other light bulbs give off a cooler bluish light.
What colour do flashes mimic?: Most flash units emit light which has a colour temperature of about 5000K, which is close to daylight. Ambient light will have a colour tint if it differs from that 5000K, since most camera’s automatically set their white balance to match the flash.
Types of Portraits:
Candid (subject aware): A candid photo is a photograph capturing something or someone in the middle of an act/action (taken with the person’s knowledge of you taking the photo).
Candid (subject unaware): Photograph captured without creating a posed appearance (taken without the person’s knowledge of you taking the photo).
Posed (formal): A formal portrait is a specifically posed photo of a person or a group of people. It focuses on facial features and may be designed to highlight a certain part of the subject.
Posed (informal): Shows the subject in casual/informal poses usually not aware of the camera, maybe looking away or engaged in an activity or conversation.
Self portrait: A portrait of oneself done by themselves.
Photos Taken In Different Types of Light
1) Ambient Light:
2) Natural Light:
3) Studio Light:
Photos Taken Using Each Type of Portraits
1) Candid (subject aware):
2) Candid (subject unaware):
3) Posed (informal):
4) Posed (formal):
5) Self Portrait:
Top 10 Favourite Portrait Photographers
- Yousef Karsh
How was the photo taken: I believe that there was a single large light that was positioned at the top right of the picture angled towards the subject. There may also be a light behind him. The subject of this photo, Winston Churchill was taken close to the camera at about 10 feet.
- Irving Penn
How was this photo taken: A light was positioned far left behind the man and was angled away from his position towards the background - lighting up the wall behind him. A smaller more condensed light is shining in from close up, angled from the left and above at subject’s face. The subject's picture is taken up close from about 6 feet from the lens.
- Richard Avedon
How was this photo taken: A light is coming from above from the front left side of the photo based on the shadows below his eyes, nose, and lower lips. I think that the subject moved slightly left to right while using a longer shutter speed, in order to produce motion blur. The subject’s photo is taken close to camera, a face shot.
- Cindy Sherman
How was the photo taken: There is one main light in the far right part of the picture facing the opposite side of the picture. There is another light coming from the above to left side of the photo and is angled downwards toward to the subject as indicated by the shadows in her hip area. The subject is taken far from the camera’s lens about 10 - 15 feet.
- David Bailey
How was the photo taken: A light is positioned on the left to middle side, pointed directly at the subject, thus producing shadows on the opposite side of the face. There must also be a lot of light, possibly 2 or 3 lights pointed toward the background/wall. The man is set up close for an upper body shot.
- Angus McBean
How was the photo taken: A light is set up on the top left in front of the subject pointing downwards as indicated by the shadow of his chin along his neck. The subject is taken close to the camera for a facial shot.
- Annie Leibovtiz
How was this photo taken: A light is positioned above to the left of the subject based on the shadow under his arm and his hip. There also seems to be another light behind him pointed straight toward the background, washing it out. The subject is not close but not too far away from camera either at about 8 feet.
- George Hurrell
How was the photo taken: A light was positioned slightly behind the subject on the top right side of the photo, pointed directly at her based on the shadows cast below her nose, eyes, and lips. There is also a second light pointing from behind her and directed at the wall, however, I believe that there is a cloth blocking some of this light due to the soft boundary between the light and the shadow on the far left hand side of the photo.
- Lee Jefferies
How was the photo taken: A light is positioned directly above the subject’s face in order to cast detailed shadows further down the face - below his nose, eye brows, lips, and wrinkles. There also appears to be a soft light from above pointing directly back towards the wall. This picture is taken up close to the man’s face for a face shot from about 4 feet away.
- Steve McCurry
How was the photo taken: A semi dim light is positioned to the left of the boy’s face based upon the shadows cast upon the opposite side. There also appears to be another light behind the second subject who is in shadows. This light is on the right hand side pointing directly away at the wall which highlights the second subjects head in shadow. The photo is taken up close for an upper body shot from about 4 feet away.
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