Basic Lighting Techniques
Basic Lighting Techniques
Learning traditional three-point lighting will give you a solid foundation in portrait illumination. You can achieve everything from a flat lighting scenario to deep shadow lighting.
You will need three lights, stands, and if you have a boom for the hair/background light that would be preferred.
Starting with your main or “Key” light place it on 15-45 degree angle from your camera, raise the light higher than your camera level so that the light is coming down on your subject on approximately a 45 degree angle. This light should be your strongest light that imitates the sun. If you are in a dark room, and you are using constant florescent light, you will be able to see the light spread and the intensity. Before turning on any additional lights, meter your light from the point of the subject.
Your second light is your “fill” light. This light should be placed on the opposite side of your camera at nearly the height of your subject. The placement shouldn”t be symmetrical with your key light. This light fills in the balance of your image.
Metering your fill light: This is the light that controls the creativity of your lighting pattern.
If you want flat lighting 1:1 ratio, match your fill light source to the same level as your key light. This light pattern is unflattering, but commonly used for ID photography, larger groups, families, and sometimes engagements portraits.
2:1 Ratio lighting, your fill light will be one F-stop smaller than your Key light. As an example if your Key light metered at F11 your fill should meter at F8. This lighting scenario is typically used in basic press portraits, full-length fashion images, and general portraiture.
3:1 Ratio lighting, your fill light will be two stops smaller than your Key light, example: Key F11, Fill F5.6. This lighting is beautiful for portraits and is commonly used for all portrait scenarios.
4:1 Ratio lighting example: Key F11:Fill F4.0. This is getting into harsh shadow lighting and is extremely dramatic. This light pattern works particularly well on men.
5:1 example Key F11:Fill F2.8. This is extremely harsh with a 5 stop difference you will almost have no detail on the fill side what so ever. If you put egg crates or barn doors on your key light in this scenario you can create what is called “thin” lighting. Maternity photographers often use this for the first family shoot after the baby is born.
The third light rounding out your three point lighting scenario is your hair light. The hair light casts light between your subject and the background to create separation. This light is easiest used if on a boom so that you can direct the light from directly above or from a slight angle.
Typically this light is a spotlight, but if looking for a broader light source that will also illuminate your backdrop a small Softbox can be used.
If you want to create definition between the background and the subject cast your light so that the back of the hair to the top of the crown is being lit. The rest of the light will fall on your background.
To create “rim” lighting, your hair light will have to be strong enough to create a clean halo of light around your subject from behind or one side. You will not have to meter this light. To achieve this, pull your boom away from the center to the same side of you key light. You will only need to be about 15 degrees off from center to accomplish back-side rim lighting. The further away from center the harsher and wider the rim lighting will become.
It is important not to pull the hair/back light in front of your subject”s ear or side center point. If this happens, a greater amount of light will be hitting the key side of your subject, thus off setting your ratios.
Now that you have your three point lighting set up, it is time to start working with your subject and capture beautifully lit images!
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