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11/09/2005 11:48:33 AM · #1 |
I know alot of it comes down to experimentation but I'm wondering if there is a general rule about setting up portraits.
How far is the person from the background?
How is the background lit? (where, what, angles, etc.)
Where is the light(s) when compared to the person (ie. one light, 15 degrees off centre, 45 degrees up, 3 metres away)
How to setup reflectors? (I've heard of everything from pro reflectors to posterboard)
How to best use on-board flash, if at all? (I don't have an external one yet)
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11/09/2005 11:54:27 AM · #2 |
Depends...on what you have to work with and what effect you want.
the classic, simplest method:
one light at 45 degrees to the subject in front of them, on each side. usually one is set a bit brighter than the other, 2:1, but that is measured witha meter. just setting a flash and full and the other at 1/2 is not necessarily gonna work.
the third light i have set on the floor behind the subject. i have seen it done this way...but just this week read of a better way, albeit not easy to mount - put the third light centered or slightly off center mounted on a boom above and behind the subject - it works as a hair light. I have not tried this - it is today's project to make a boom and all.
Oh, BG - the kids sample is a digital dropped in BG. the pet is about 5 or 6 feet, the lens at about 80mm f9.
samples:
 
Message edited by author 2005-11-09 11:56:47.
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11/09/2005 03:31:20 PM · #3 |
ahh, lighting. this is my favorite thing about photography and film. it is a world unto its own, but how you set it up is largely subjective, based on how you envision your shot and what look you are going for.
ideally just learn the most basic set up of three point lighting, then advance from there. With three point lighting you have a key, fill and back light. the key is most important so this should be set first. i personally am not a fan of flat, uniform lighting, so i rarely set this light on the camera axis--instead i try to keep it positioned anywhere from 10° to 90°--then elevated about 45° angle from the subject plane. a tip here--if your subject is not going to be looking at the camera--focus the key on the (short) side of the face opposite the camera. this enhances the draw, or modeling effect of the shadows. again, though, this set up all depends on the situation and effect i want to see. i sometimes diffuse the key through a white umbrella, (sometimes softbox) or reflect from a silver one, depending on the intensity i want.
the next light in this system is the fill light. this light diffuses and evens out the harsher shadows caused by the key--although you dont want to eliminate them entirely. i usually place this one farther away, at angle of about 10° to 45° from the camera on the opposite side from the key. also this light should be placed above the subject for a more natural look. i like using diffusers and gels (and gold relfectors) sometimes for these for even more softness and tones--especially if the WB has taken the life out of the skintone.
the back light is necessary to separate the subject from the background. for many portraits, you generally want the subject at least 5 feet from the background (except for pure white backgrounds), which keeps the fill and key lights from spilling over. then aim this light opposite the key light at the back of the subject (out range of camera lens) to create a rim for separation. it should be behind and above at about a 45° angle. you really need some type of barndoors (it's easy to go mcguyver and use stuff you have lying around your house to replicate these sort of things) to reduce reflection--especially depending on the subjects haircolor. i read once that backlights should be felt and not seen, which i think is a good rule of thumb. i like to also use an additional light here specifically for (aimed at) the background--especially if i am using colored gels.
so that's essentially your very basic formal lighting set up--but here it is the same as with everything else in photography--the rules are meant to be broken. play around with anything and everything and get creative. get comfortable with bounces (black and white), diffusers, reflectors and gels--these are your friends. the more dramatic you like your lighting, the more fun you can have with this stuff. your lighting is key for making your shots, so mess around with it and play with different techniques to find what you like. |
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11/09/2005 03:42:34 PM · #4 |
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11/10/2005 07:35:39 PM · #5 |
| ....and Alecia's short course was good also |
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