Using artificial light to your advantageStudio and Location Lighting

“Light can be hard, soft, wrapping, harsh, slashing, sumptuous, glowing, etherial, muddy, muted, brash, poppy, brassy, contrasty, clean, open. It’s a little nuts.” - Joe McNally

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Quality light is seldom available - fact.

Studio and location lighting allow photographers to add quality light where there may not be good light.

Flashes

We’ll discuss two types:

1. On-camera flash

- Built-in flash and external flashes

2. Off-camera flash

- Studio flashes or strobes

Beginners light kit

• Hot-shoe mount for external flash

• Cable attaches camera to flash

• Built into most professional cameras

Sync Terminal Adapter (Hot Shoe to PC)

Studio Accessories

• Sync Cable and Hot Shoe - connects strobe to camera

Advanced light kit

• Pocket Wizard allows for remote firing of flash (no cables needed!)

Pocket Wizard Plus III

Beginners light kit

• Umbrellas help soften light and decrease shadows

• Shoot through or bounce off of

Beginners light kit

Beginners light kit

Direction of Light

Front lighting - less shadows, snapshot feel

Direction of Light

High 45 degree lighting - Rembrandt lighting, more texture and depth

Direction of Light

Side lighting - Harsh 90 degree angle, dramatic and high contrast

Top lighting - Directly overhead, long shadows, not flattering but interesting

Direction of Light

Back lighting - Also edge or rim light, shows smoke well

Bottom lighting - Light from below looks unnatural, works for some products

The Point and Shoot effect

Hot Shoe External Flashes- Mounts on or off camera - Easily rotates for directional control- Adjustable power (amount of light)

Direct vs. Bounce Flash

Direct Flash Direct off-camera Flash

Above Bounce Flash Side Wall Bounce Flash

Direct vs. Bounce Flash

Direct vs. Bounce Flash

D.I.Y. Flash Diffusers

• Use index cards, printer paper, or old film canisters to help soften and diffuse direct flash

Two important concepts for flash:

1. Inverse Square Law

2. Sync Speed

1. Inverse Square Law

• Light spreads and diminishes as it travels from flash to subjectAccording to the law, the power of the light will be inversely proportional to the square of the distance. So if we take a distance of 2 and square it, we get 4, the inverse of which would be 1/4 or rather, a quarter of the original power – not half.

Remember that each one is simply the distance squared, over 1.

1. Inverse Square Law

2. Sync Speed

• 1/250 is the max shutter speed most cameras can use with flash

• Any faster and the shutter curtain will be visible in your frame

- Flash helps freeze action

Underexposing with Flash

• Use ambient light to your advantage

• Underexpose then add flash for a dramatic look

Underexposing with Flash

1/160th @ f/5200 ISO

1/160th @ f/11200 ISO

Underexposing with Flash

1/160th @ f/11200 ISO

Ambient light is always taken into consideration when using flash

Ring Flash• Circular light fills shadows

Studio Lighting

• Great for head shots and portraits

• Allows for full control of lighting situation

Strobes • Alien Bee’s - Mono-lights

Studio Accessories

• Soft Boxes

Studio Accessories• Snoot/Barn Doors - help direct or intensify light

Lighting Diagrams

The Hair Light

• Most common use of multiple lights

• Helps separate from the background

• Gives subject a warm glow

• Mostly used in combination with a soft box

See you Wednesday for picture day!!