Portrait Lighting -- Learning Thread

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

06/29/2006 07:49:40 PM · #27

Originally posted by idnic:

Jennifer, here is a diagram that gives a lovely rembrandt style. The 3rd light would be use directly behind the subject pointed at the backdrop.

Cindi, what I was saying is I can do it with one subject, but have a hard time creating the same lighting with multiple people in the picture. I tend to have Person A's shadow falling on person B's face :)

yanko

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Carl Zeiss 50mm ZE f/1.4 Planar T for Canon

06/29/2006 07:51:59 PM · #28

Nice thread Cindi. I'm adding this to my watched threads for when I have some decent equipment to use.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

06/29/2006 07:52:49 PM · #29

Originally posted by JRalston:

With multiple subjects you often need to bring in extra lights and light modifiers so that each face gets its own lighting. See also my edited post below.

wavelength

Nikon D300

06/29/2006 07:53:09 PM · #30

Originally posted by idnic:

rembrandt style.

Umm, maybe I need those "key terms" a little early... :) I think I get what you're talking about, but I'd rather be sure.

06/29/2006 07:57:50 PM · #31

:) OK, Few key terms - Lighting Styles

Broad Lighting:
To create a broad light, pose your subject to show a 2/3 or 3/4 view of the face and direct your main light toward the side of the face that is closest to the camera. A broad light can be used to add weight to a face that is too thin. Years ago, teachers of photography told us that broad lighting was the feminine style of lighting. This is the sort of rulebook thinking we need to put behind us.

Short Lighting:
To create a short light, pose your subject to show a 2/3 or 3/4 view of the face and direct your main light toward the side of the face that is furthest away from the camera. Short light can be used to slenderize a face that is too heavy. Although short lighting was considered the masculine style of lighting, today this style is used more than any other, when photographing women as well as men.

The second factor that defines lighting style is the relationship between the angle of the Main Light and the subject's nose axis.

45 degree Lighting or Rembrandt lighting:
Direct your Main Light toward your subject's face at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. You can use 45 degree light from the broad side, or the short side and to light either a full face or profile portrait. The Main Light should be placed higher than the subject's head and is directed down and at an angle of about 45 degrees. One characteristic of 45 degree lighting is the triangle of light from the Main Light that is on the shadow side of the subject's face. 45 degree lighting is also known as Rembrandt lighting because it is the style of lighting that is seen in many of his paintings.

Butterfly or Glamour Lighting:
The term, "Butterfly Lighting," comes from a characteristic butterfly shaped shadow beneath the subject's nose. If you want to use butterfly lighting you should line your Main Light up along your subject's nose axis and then raise the light until you see the characteristic shadow. This style of lighting is also known as glamour lighting because it was used extensively by the great Hollywood portrait photographers of the '20s, '30s and '40s. Although light placement is identical for butterfly and glamour lighting, photographers such as George Hurrell gave it a special look by using a spotlight as the Main Light rather than a softer light source. If you move your Main Light a little to the left or right, you will change your lighting style into a modified butterfly pattern.

Split Lighting:
Split lighting divides the face along its center. Split Lighting is probably the least used style of portrait lighting, but it can be very effective. The easiest way to create split lighting is to place your Main Light just as you would for 45° lighting. While watching the patch of light on the shadow side of your subject's face, lower the Main Light and move it to the side until the shadow-side highlight disappears. If you want to add an accent of light to the shadow, move it back just a little until a very small touch of light reappears on the shadow side of the face.

To save time typing, I nabbed these definitions from: StudioLighting.net

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

06/29/2006 08:08:00 PM · #32

A tell-tale sign of Rembrandt light is the small triangle of light that reaches the dark side of the face (on the cheek) as Jenn posted in this example: here

caba

Nikon D800

06/29/2006 08:25:32 PM · #33

Thanks so much for the corrections for my first image, now here's one from the same day,same park, different couple, my other camera and longer lens. I still didn't use any flash or reflector. I had a hard time getting my male subject to relax. I had her tickle him a few times.

Any comments are greatly appriciated.

Thanks, Frank

wavelength

Nikon D300

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

06/29/2006 08:29:49 PM · #34

Originally posted by caba:

First impression... pose them with the shoulders a bit more toward the camera. His closest arm over instead of under, His face more above her shoulder in the fram. His far hand on her shoulder, her far hand holding lookhis. His head should be tilted toward her I think, feels like he's trying to get out of the picture.

edit - no make that her close holding his hand on the shoulder, and his close hand and her far arm clasped together. The other left both of their close arms without a comfy resting position.

Message edited by author 2006-06-29 20:32:07.

JRalston

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

06/29/2006 08:35:52 PM · #35

Originally posted by idnic:

Originally posted by JRalston:
Cindi, what I was saying is I can do it with one subject, but have a hard time creating the same lighting with multiple people in the picture. I tend to have Person A's shadow falling on person B's face :)

With multiple subjects you often need to bring in extra lights and light modifiers so that each face gets its own lighting. See also my edited post below.

Thanks Cindi- sounds like I need more lights to accomplish what I want to do.

margiemu

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

06/29/2006 09:02:05 PM · #36

Thanks, Cindi! This looks like it is going to be super helpful. I'll watch, and do what "assignments" I can find time for, because I definately need this!

GKPhotos

Nikon D3100

Sony DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical ED Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha

06/29/2006 10:03:38 PM · #37

I hope it's not too late, I'll also follow this thread.

Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DG for Pentax

06/29/2006 10:57:05 PM · #38

Originally posted by Egor:

I hope it's not too late, I'll also follow this thread.

Never too late, anyone can participate at any time. This is meant for an "information dump"-- a place to talk about these topics, please join and participate as you can.

Leok

Pentax K10D

06/30/2006 05:12:59 AM · #39

Hey Cindi, thanks for starting this thread, I will be watching it closely ;-)

06/30/2006 08:33:19 AM · #40

I'm going to try some outdoor (along the tree line) and some window light-type shots today, will share later. I hope some others get a chance to shoot with available light today as well.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

06/30/2006 04:01:45 PM · #41

OK, here are a couple from me. One is using available light beside a window and the other is outside along a tree line using a silver reflector to help create soft directional light. Any thoughts? BTW - both shot with my new 50mm 1.4 that UPS JUST delivered! :D

Edited typo

Message edited by author 2006-06-30 16:11:19.

trnqlty

Nikon D90

06/30/2006 04:24:38 PM · #42

Originally posted by idnic:

I felt like both could use a nice bump in brightness and the first could use some yellow removed from the teeth. Hope you don't mind but I did a quick edit on the first and I think it made a big difference. What do ya think?

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

06/30/2006 04:27:48 PM · #43

You are quite right about the needed processing, David. I didn't process either of them since we're discussing lighting here and I was really just concentrating on that. There is a fair amount of processing needed on both to suit my client standard.

trnqlty

Nikon D90

06/30/2006 04:38:00 PM · #44

I think that silver reflector gave just enough contrast to the image to keep it from being flat. Nice wrap around effect. The available light is a little harsh for me but I think thats parshly because its a young girl being photographed. It definetly could be used to make some powerfull images. It is certainly nice to be such high contrast but still retain some detail in the shadow areas.

margiemu

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

06/30/2006 05:17:49 PM · #45

here's my attempt at shooting in the shade today.

Cindi, is there any chance that when you are shooting examples, you could also step back a bit, and take a shot of what your setup looks like, so that we can see where you have reflectors, lights etc. placed? I would find that super helpful.
Thanks for doing this!

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

06/30/2006 05:30:02 PM · #46

Originally posted by margiemu:

You bet, Margie. I will remember to do some "set up" shots for the next examples. In the meantime, this one

you can see the direction of her arms. I had her holding the reflector so it brightened what would have been a very dark side of the face. The reflector was just one of those windshield sun reflectors, but those work really well outdoors.

PS left a comment on your shot. Well done.

Message edited by author 2006-06-30 17:31:54.

caba

Nikon D800

07/01/2006 01:03:56 AM · #47

Ok, today, I used the house as a giant reflector, trees provided shade from the left, house is to the right. House is a light grey. 50mm F/1.4 also.

mpeters

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

07/01/2006 01:28:14 AM · #48

On these pics of my son(he is a semi-willing model) I just plunked him down with a window to one side of his face. The first one has pretty harsh lighting so diffusing the window light would have been a good choice(i think??) On the second one the window was throwing light almost straight on so it doesn't have quite the modeling that i was going for. But he moves around alot and this was the only one in focus!

This was taken outside with mid afternoon sun to the cameras left. I posititioned him under some trees to create some shadows on the camera's RH side. Question: Does anyone regularly use a subtractive material and if so, when?

Also, i find reflectors and the like uncomfortable to use, almost like something else to 'worry' about. Grrrr..... Do i need an assistant? ;)

I find that many of my portraits have pretty flat lighting so this is a good thread that i'll be watching and participating as I have time. Thanks Cindi.

Mark

07/01/2006 04:09:12 AM · #49

Originally posted by caba:

Ok, today, I used the house as a giant reflector, trees provided shade from the left, house is to the right. House is a light grey. 50mm F/1.4 also.

Hi Frank! :) I love that you used the house as a reflector, that helps to establish directional light and is good to point out to all readers. The lighting in your portrait looks great, its soft and directional, just what you want. Composition-wise, might I suggest you step forward about 4 feet and get a closer, more personal shot?