DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Classic three light setup
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 6 of 6, (reverse)
AuthorThread
 09/20/2007 06:04:10 PM · #1
I've always been more of a natural light person, but I decided it was time to learn to light a portrait as well as just finding my light. I reviewed web sites (yes the strobist is great), bought a stack of books and looked through stacks of images. At this point I think I have too much info and too many options. Key light, fill light, background light, hair light, rim light, kickers, paramount lighting, split lighting, rembrandt lighting, loop lighting, and on... I understand the mechanics, but I'm not translating them to strong images.

Just a minute ago I was listening to a studiolighting.net podcast by Roman Salacki where he talks about the famous fashion and portrait photographers that shot with a basic 3-light setup. Now after reading all this other stuff I have no idea what he is talking about, but it sounds like a good place to start for using multiple lights.

Does anybody understand what a basic 3-light setup would be from a fashion/portrait perspective. (which I really hope is at least a little more interesting than the basic setup used by every walmart studio in the country)

Thanks again for any advice you can offer!
 09/20/2007 06:16:34 PM · #2
I found this link, may be helpful.
 09/20/2007 06:37:18 PM · #3
Originally posted by jdannels:
I found this link, may be helpful.

thank you for the link....this is very helpful
 09/20/2007 11:36:39 PM · #4
VERY helpful.

Thank you!
 09/21/2007 10:04:12 PM · #5
That is a great tutorial Joe, thanks for the link. I'm in the same boat as you David trying to learn different lighting techniques for portraits. Here is my basic setup...



Used for this b/w portrait in my 30 day b/w challenge folder..



I have trouble visualizing and keeping straight in my head broad lighting and short lighting. I know that with broad lighting the ey light illuminates the side of the face that is turned toward the camera and short lighting is when the main light illuminates the side of the face that is turned away from the camera. So in the portrait above, I used short lighting. I had so much going through my mind at the time of the shoot that I didn't really think about why I was lighting that way or if it was broad or short.....

I think good results can be obtained with just using a basic setup like my little graphic above, but I would like to learn more about using different lighting techniques for dramatic effects specific for each situation.

Sorry for the rambling....

09/24/2007 11:38:24 AM · #6
Thanks Jason, this is actually very helpful as a starting point.
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 08/29/2025 08:59:13 AM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 08/29/2025 08:59:13 AM EDT.