Basic Lighting Equipment and Techniques- 11.11.22
For this lesson, we were introduced to the studio and some basic setups using the tools in the studio. This was so that once we got our ideas down for the whole studio lighting mini-project, we could set up the studio (with a bit of assistance) to get the right photos for the project.
Metering
To meter stuff in the studio, it is best practise to use a light meter so that we can get a good exposure. To use the light meter, set the ISO and shutter speed that you want and then trigger the flash so that it can calculate what aperture you need for the photos. By settings the ISO and the shutter speed of the exposure triangle, we can then get a reading of what aperture we need. This is also true by setting two sides of the triangle and then calculating what it is that you need.
Lighting Rigs in the Studio
In the studio, there are several lighting rigs that we can use to produce stunning images. These will enable the user to make sure that they can get hard light or soft light tin their images.
Soft Boxes
These boxes have a layer of a cloth-type material in front of the flash so that the flash can be diffused evenly on the subject. The box shape in front of the flash directs the light in the direction that the box is facing.
Figure 1 - Soft Boxes
Beauty Dish
This attachment would go in front of the flash and would have a small dish in front of the flash suspended by springs. The use of the small dish in the cone is so that it can have an even spread of light on the subject, which strikes a good balance between hard light and soft light.
Figure 2 - Beauty Dishes
Snoot
These inverted cone shapes direct light onto the subject very subtly and will create harsh light in doing so. This, in turn, will create a very dark and moody atmosphere in the image.
Figure 3 - Snoot
Lighting Techniques
There were 3 main techniques that were taught in the lesson, which were the butterfly, Rembrandt and short lighting. There are also differences in hard and soft light as well. All of these techniques and processes are talked about below.
Hard vs. Soft light
There are differences between hard and soft light. Soft light would give the subject a flat and even lighting that does not cast harsh shadows, which is good to show off your subject. Hard light would give the image a much more dramatic look by adding these harsh shadows in the image, which is nice if you want that type of look to your image. These are all achievable by using the right lighting setup for your wants and needs.
A general rule of thumb for hard and soft light;
If the light source is larger than the subject = soft light
If the light source is smaller than the subject = hard light
The Butterfly Lighting Technique
For this, the light is directly over the subject's face and will need to be pointed down towards their face. This is so that there is a shadow underneath the subject's nose that resembles the shape of a butterfly. This is shown in the first photo of the doll's face.
Rembrandt Lighting Technique
For this, the light is moved from straight on to about 45 degrees from the subject's face. This will create a little triangle of light on either side of the subject's face. The light is created from the shadow of the nose to the shadow of the cheek bone. This is shown in the second photo of the doll's face.
Short Lighting Technique
For this, the lighting rig is placed around the 10 o'clock mark and is used to make the subject's face thinner. This is mostly used for portraiture photography but can work for fashion photography as well. This is shown in the studio photography shots that were taken as a group.
