Lesson 3: Page 12
We are asked to photograph people for many reasons; pictures for their families, for their business, and often for themselves. As a commercial photographer you will be asked to photograph…
Lesson 3: Page 13
The Lighting Clock One of the easiest ways for me to describe light placement is to use the lighting clock shown here. The camera is always at 6:00 while the…
Lesson 3: Page 14
LOOP LIGHTING This light pattern is close to being a frontal light with minimal shadows. The perfect Loop light pattern is a shadow dropping from the nose that creates a…
Lesson 3: Page 15
SHORT LIGHT This light is minimal compared to Rembrandt, just putting a small amount of light on your subject. The light is placed approximately 2:00 o’clock to the side of…
Lesson 3: Page 16
In these examples, you can see the difference in lighting ratio as the fill light is cut back. The left image is 1:1, middle is 2:1, and right is 3:1…
Lesson 3: Page 17
ONE LIGHT SETUP’S This is my preferred technique for most portraits. Let’s face it, as a commercial photographer, most of the portraits I am asked to take are business portraits:…
Lesson 3: Page 18
This portrait of a television news anchor is a two light setup. I chose two lights, a lightbox as key and umbrella as fill and a very weak light ratio….
Lesson 3: Page 19
Notice in this image the flat lighting on the face and the nose has a highlight making is look really big. The key light is on the right and the…
Lesson 3: Page 20
BLACK BACKGROUNDS Black backgrounds are used widely in portraiture and can be used in a very creative manner. When using black or very dark backgrounds, special care must be taken…
Lesson 3: Page 22
FRAMING THE HEAD SHOT In other courses you have taken or books you may have read, the ‘rule of thirds’ was certainly discussed. It is useful here as well when…
Lesson 3: Page 23
Perfectly parallel makes the eyes look natural but may leave the nose, chin, or another feature not quite right. However, this is where compromise may come in. A slight lowering…
Lesson 3: Page 24
FULL LENGTH PORTRAITS Full length portraits are a very common portrait assignment. In these situations you still strive for nice lighting patterns on the subjects face, but must consider light…
Lesson 3: Page 25
WHICH LIGHT ACCESSORY TO USE? The main thing to remember with lighting, is you need to use a light source that will create the quality of light you need for…
Lesson 3: Page 26
GETTING STARTED No matter what type of people you are photographing, the considerations are the same no matter what. These are the questions that need to be answered for each…
Lesson 3: Page 27
In addition, my hair lights are always placed on my Bogen/Manfrotto Super Boom so I can rotate the hand cranks to make those subtle adjustments. A manual boom requires you…
Lesson 3: Page 28
KNOCKOUT BACKGROUNDS You will at some point be asked to photograph a person against a white background for a knockout technique. Here the client needs a pure white background behind…
Lesson 3: Page 29
Again, for a good white background you need to light the white background separately from your subject and to effectively do this your subject should be no closer than 10’…
Lesson 3: Page 30
Depending on what you are shooting you may be able to have the entire background around your subject start blinking in the blinkies, but watch the subject for wrap-around. In…
Lesson 3: Page 12
We are asked to photograph people for many reasons; pictures for their families, for their business, and often for themselves. As a commercial photographer you will be asked to photograph…
Lesson 3: Page 13
The Lighting Clock One of the easiest ways for me to describe light placement is to use the lighting clock shown here. The camera is always at 6:00 while the…
Lesson 3: Page 14
LOOP LIGHTING This light pattern is close to being a frontal light with minimal shadows. The perfect Loop light pattern is a shadow dropping from the nose that creates a…
Lesson 3: Page 15
SHORT LIGHT This light is minimal compared to Rembrandt, just putting a small amount of light on your subject. The light is placed approximately 2:00 o’clock to the side of…
Lesson 3: Page 16
In these examples, you can see the difference in lighting ratio as the fill light is cut back. The left image is 1:1, middle is 2:1, and right is 3:1…
Lesson 3: Page 17
ONE LIGHT SETUP’S This is my preferred technique for most portraits. Let’s face it, as a commercial photographer, most of the portraits I am asked to take are business portraits:…
Lesson 3: Page 18
This portrait of a television news anchor is a two light setup. I chose two lights, a lightbox as key and umbrella as fill and a very weak light ratio….
Lesson 3: Page 19
Notice in this image the flat lighting on the face and the nose has a highlight making is look really big. The key light is on the right and the…
Lesson 3: Page 20
BLACK BACKGROUNDS Black backgrounds are used widely in portraiture and can be used in a very creative manner. When using black or very dark backgrounds, special care must be taken…
Lesson 3: Page 22
FRAMING THE HEAD SHOT In other courses you have taken or books you may have read, the ‘rule of thirds’ was certainly discussed. It is useful here as well when…
Lesson 3: Page 23
Perfectly parallel makes the eyes look natural but may leave the nose, chin, or another feature not quite right. However, this is where compromise may come in. A slight lowering…
Lesson 3: Page 24
FULL LENGTH PORTRAITS Full length portraits are a very common portrait assignment. In these situations you still strive for nice lighting patterns on the subjects face, but must consider light…
Lesson 3: Page 25
WHICH LIGHT ACCESSORY TO USE? The main thing to remember with lighting, is you need to use a light source that will create the quality of light you need for…
Lesson 3: Page 26
GETTING STARTED No matter what type of people you are photographing, the considerations are the same no matter what. These are the questions that need to be answered for each…
Lesson 3: Page 27
In addition, my hair lights are always placed on my Bogen/Manfrotto Super Boom so I can rotate the hand cranks to make those subtle adjustments. A manual boom requires you…
Lesson 3: Page 28
KNOCKOUT BACKGROUNDS You will at some point be asked to photograph a person against a white background for a knockout technique. Here the client needs a pure white background behind…
Lesson 3: Page 29
Again, for a good white background you need to light the white background separately from your subject and to effectively do this your subject should be no closer than 10’…
Lesson 3: Page 30
Depending on what you are shooting you may be able to have the entire background around your subject start blinking in the blinkies, but watch the subject for wrap-around. In…