Classic Portrait Lighting Tutorial

[Larry N. Bolch]

In answer to a number of requests, I added a tutorial to my site illustrating classic portrait lighting using a main, fill, hair, background and kicker light. The effect of each light is shown by itself and in conjunction with other lights. This setup works with anything from cheap clip-on construction site light reflectors to big buck professional studio strobes.

www.larry-bolch.com/portrait-basics/

[rich]

Larry,

As you mentioned that your fill light is 2 stop below your main. My question is how many f/stop should the hairlight, background and the kicker lights to the main light?

Thanks,
rich

[Larry N. Bolch]

These are effects lights, and the intensity depends upon the effect you want to create. Do you want the kicker just to illuminate the edge, show the texture of a rugged complexion or create a stark, dramatic highlight with no detail? What is the subject's hair tone? Usually darker hair can take more light. Where between black and white is the lightness of your backdrop? A brilliant halo around the shoulders will require a huge amount of light if you are using a black background. If you are using a white background and want just a subtle glow, you will cut the light to its minimum.

These lights are each optional, and really need to be set visually, not with a meter. This works very well when using photo floods, since you actually can see the light that will be used for the exposure. It will work equally well with studio strobes that have accurate modeling lights, that precisely reflect the output of the tubes when you scale down the levels. Otherwise, it is a matter of loads of practice with your lights if shooting film, or doing a test shot or two if using digital.

Again, the main light determines the actual exposure. A lot of great lighting can be done with just this single light. While this classic setup was all the rage in Hollywood during the "Golden Age", now a lot of beauty is shot with a large soft-box, close to the subject.

Two stops under is a good starting point for the fill light, but it is not written in stone. For some faces, the fill light might be just slightly less than the main and for others where dramatic contrast is wanted, it might be best left off.

Gender, age and intent will all determine the setting of lights, if you are truly a portrait artist. The lighting on the face of a youngish grandmother who wants to look lovely for the pictures she is about to send to the grandchildren will be lit much more softly than a publicity portrait of an outdoorsy actor. A scar or birthmark on a cheek can be hidden in a shadow. A long nose can be shortened, a short nose can be made longer.

Only in mass-production kidnapping studios in mall discount stores will a single lighting setup be used on everyone. It allows machine printing to be done with no individual attention to each print. Poses are pre-determined and the end result is a bland, homogenized portrait with no individuality. Great portraits are a combination of the photographer's ability to bring out the personality of the sitter, and in the artistry of the lighting.

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