June 20, 2011

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…

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June 20, 2011

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…

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June 20, 2011

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…

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June 20, 2011

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…

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June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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:…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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….

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

Lesson 3: Page 21

Here is an nice subtle hair light on top of her head.

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June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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’…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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:…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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….

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

Lesson 3: Page 21

Here is an nice subtle hair light on top of her head.

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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’…

Read More
June 20, 2011

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…

Read More