Studio Portrait Lighting-A How To

[obrienk]

Hi Benji - I've nothing to add to the discussion but just wanted to say thanks for all your tutorials. I've learned a lot from them.

[alive1]

You are certainly a great instructor online but what happened to your winter in house tutorial you normally give? I'm sure there are many Camel Gazers out there that would just love to see your expertise first hand. I've been to a couple of your workshops and come away a better photographer each time.

[Benji]

Originally Posted by alive1

You are certainly a great instructor online but what happened to your winter in house tutorial you normally give? I'm sure there are many Camel Gazers out there that would just love to see your expertise first hand. I've been to a couple of your workshops and come away a better photographer each time.

Thanks for the kind words. I'm not sure if I'm going to offer any more classes in the studio. I'm still kicking it around.

benji

[cappy1927]

Thanks very informative...

[msurdin]

Very helpful .... appreciate the photos demonstrating the individual lights and their effect ... particularly the hair lights.

[Not4wood]

Benji,
I just wanted to say Thank you for your engergy, experience and the time it took you to explain and then have the patience to answer everybody's questions.

Not only did I feel like this was a Master Class, I also felt like I was back in the Studio as an Apprentice helping my Mentor in a shoot.

[C Webb]

Benji,
Don Peterson made exactly the same point Don Blair did concerning the parabolic vs the soft box.
I was quite aware why you included the "approximate".

This is a wonderful tutorial, I wish I had had it fifty plus years ago. I could of been at the head of the class!

Thanks for doing the hard part to share with the group. Most students I have encountered have wanted to build their lighting starting with the main light. Beginning with the background to my way of thinking is the best way to see your lighting from the beginning to the end. When using "Mazda"
or 24 inch parabolic diffused Photogenics, I had (still do in fact) 5 of Photogenics 150 wt mini fresnel focusing spotlights ( or Inky Dinks etc.). They were the cats meow for kickers!

Thanks again for sharing,
C Webb

[Dookie]

What is the ligting ratio of the hair light and kicker light to the main light?
Thanks

[umphotography]

benji

my studio is set up in my basement and i only have 8 ft ceilings. i have the same size parabolic umbrella as you do but the low ceilings force me to feather a little and i have to keep my backdrop 7-8ft from the subject........any advise on this lighting pattern with low ceiling height. ive got my hair light mounted to the beam and im able to control it easily. ive been using x pattern lighting but i sure like this set up in your tutorial,,,,,,my concern is the low ceiling height

[Benji]

Originally Posted by umphotography

benji

my studio is set up in my basement and i only have 8 ft ceilings. i have the same size parabolic umbrella as you do but the low ceilings force me to feather a little and i have to keep my backdrop 7-8ft from the subject........any advise on this lighting pattern with low ceiling height. ive got my hair light mounted to the beam and im able to control it easily. ive been using x pattern lighting but i sure like this set up in your tutorial,,,,,,my concern is the low ceiling height

The "X" pattern will render flat lighting and underexposed shadows. By positioning the fill light close to the camera, the fill light will get into those shadows that the lens "sees" and brings them up to where they will have detail in them.

As far as 8 foot ceilings, don't stand anyone that is over about 6 feet tall on the floor (that you are planning on photographing) and it should not be a problem.

Benji

[dre4303]

Appreciate the time and effort for you to put this together. Nicely done.

[etog]

Great tutorial - thank you very much for taking the time to post all that info!

[Daimos]

This thread is 3 years now and still kicks Thanks Benji and to all contributors.
BTW, what would be the main difference (multiple light setup) when shooting a group of 4-5? should I put more light or more power?

[Benji]

Originally Posted by Dookie

What is the ligting ratio of the hair light and kicker light to the main light?
Thanks

Hair light is metered the same as the fill light. Kicker is usually about 1/3rd of a stop LESS than the fill reading.

Originally Posted by Daimos

This thread is 3 years now and still kicks Thanks Benji and to all contributors.
BTW, what would be the main difference (multiple light setup) when shooting a group of 4-5? should I put more light or more power?

The lighting ratio should be about the same. You will need to power the main light up and feather it so everyone has nearly the same reading. I aim the main light at the subject farthest from it then take meter readings at each face. I continue moving the main light in or out and/or feather it toward or away from the subjects until I get a meter reading that is identical (or very near it) at each face. the light will be about 1/2 way in between the camera and the subjects.

Make sure that the main light is not casting a shadow across a neighbors face.

Benji

[photog456]

Cool Stuff!

[djb28]

You are a tremendous Photographer. I have been reading your stuff and i love the way you explain things. It is an inspiration and appreciated. Valuable stuff, indeed.

[Hollywoodmodelphotography]

Great tutorial Benji.

Could you tell us what the specific hair lights you used were?

[AnnieSocial]

Originally Posted by Leohr

Benji,
...In the paragraph about the main light, I suspect there was a typo? In the last line, "The closer the light source is to the subject the softer the light appears." Didn't you mean the further the light source, the softer the light appears?
Leohr

Leohr,

I don't think this is a typo. Imagine you're sitting at the position of the subject... as a light source is moved closer to you, it appears larger and wraps around more. It may get brighter, but it's still softer. Just turn down the intensity of the source. I call this the "law of apparent size". The bigger the source appears to the subject, the more the light wraps around the subject.

[Benji]

Originally Posted by AnnieSocial

Leohr,

I don't think this is a typo. Imagine you're sitting at the position of the subject... as a light source is moved closer to you, it appears larger and wraps around more. It may get brighter, but it's still softer. Just turn down the intensity of the source. I call this the "law of apparent size". The bigger the source appears to the subject, the more the light wraps around the subject.

You are correct!

Originally Posted by photog456

Cool Stuff!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by djb28

You are a tremendous Photographer. I have been reading your stuff and i love the way you explain things. It is an inspiration and appreciated. Valuable stuff, indeed.

Thanks again!

Originally Posted by Hollywoodmodelphotography

Great tutorial Benji.

Could you tell us what the specific hair lights you used were?

I usually position the hair light above and behind the subject aimed down and forward. I try and place it so it will continue the highlight that the main light creates around to the top and slightly to the shadow side where the kicker light can then continue to carry it into the shadow side of the hair. This may not be excatly as the old masters taught but I like it!

Benji

[afterimage]

Many thanks for taking the time to explain all this. Very helpful.