Photography News Issue 27 absolutephoto.com
Technique 28
Loop lighting
Rembrandt lighting
Split lighting
will lean forward, backwards or sideways. To combat this, she uses “simple but vibrant lighting set-ups” and includes both high- and low-key set-ups to give the maximum variety for her clients. The kind of set-up she’s happiest with might include “only one light on the subject alone, and sometimes a second on the background or as a rim light.” This, she says, is the product of experience, which has taught her that a less is more approach often works better than trying to force too many lights on the subject. “When I started out, I over-complicated things by believing that I needed touse all the gear, all the time – light meters, reflectors, multiple flash heads… now I’d advise people to add lights to their studio set-ups one at a time – you’ll often find that a single light is most effective. And practice. It brings confidence, which makes your subjects trust you and relax. Paul certainly echoes this; “the more lighting you have, the harder it is to control – and that extra work can be a distraction for both you and the subject. Consequently I have practiced lighting patterns to make sure I can switch around easily if I need to. I like the lighting to feel natural rather than forced, so I’ll also often move the softboxes around, finding the soft, feathered edges of the light to light the face and eyes.” Bouncing off the walls It’s important to remember that the characteristics of the studio itself will affect your lighting, too, not just the lights so the shadow from the nose connects with the unlit side of the face and you have Rembrandt lighting which is more dramatic. Finally, split lighting illuminates just one side of the face and because it’s contrasty tends to be the least flattering of the three. Above Using a single light, here you can see three very useful styles. Loop lighting, where the light is angled at around 45° to the subject forms a small shadow from the nose on the cheek is flattering for more subjects. Move the light further around
themselves and their positions. So, identical set-ups can look different from one space to another; you might curse the confines of a room you’ve got to work in at home, but closer spaces reflect more light, giving the option to bounce it more easily. The colour of the space makes a big difference, too as Paul says: “every surface affects the amount, colour and quality of light striking the subject. Dark walls absorb light while light walls soften the contrast and fill in the shadows more.” Here again, practise pays off, and getting used to certain spaces will make it easier to get the results you want. Getting it done The main ingredient in success is effort; you’ll only get better, or learn new lighting styles and tricks by trying them out for real. Even though they’re experienced shooters, Paul and Sarah both feel the pressure to keep developing, even if it’s hard work. “If you feel like you’re shooting the same images all the time (just with different subjects), then you’re just coasting. Keep up to date with what’s current in the industry, take inspiration from both inside and outside the art and photography sectors and keep experimenting to stay fresh and excited.” “I’ve gone through many ‘flat’ patches where it feels, frankly, like I’mgetting worse!” admits Paul. “Then suddenly I’ll wake up one morning full of ideas – and, weirdly, when I look back at what I’ve been creating prior to that moment it’s usually not as bad as it feels – perseverance almost always pays off!” I’d advise people to add lights to their studio set-ups one at a time – you’ll often find that a single light is most effective
Above Adding a second light, which here comes in the form of a hair light illuminating the subject’s curls from behind, is quick and simple way to add a twist to a basic portrait setup.
Mastering Portrait Photography
If you want to improve your portrait skills, you can find out lots more in Paul and Sarah’s book, Mastering Portrait Photography . Spanning 176 pages, the book is extremely visual, covering both studio and location portraits and has a strong focus on showing techniques in use, then describing how they were achieved and why. “We want readers to feel inspired and excited to rush out and try out these techniques immediately, not to bore or baffle them. You can get started straight away, with very little kit and only a bit of knowledge” says Sarah. Mastering Portrait Photography (£19.99 published by Ammonite Press, ammonitepress.com) is now out on amazon.co.uk and in bookshops, so check it out.
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