How to Set Up Photography Lights

Photography is all about light. The earliest cameras used slow shutter speeds and combustible materials to make a bright explosion, illuminating the subjects and burning an image onto a tintype. Today’s lighting choices and equipment make picture taking much easier but lights are no less important. With many lights to choose from, you can easily set up a photography studio and move your lights to achieve different effects.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Continuous lights
• Flash lights
• Photography umbrellas
• Light stands

1. Set up your shot. Your lighting arrangement depends upon your subject and the mood you want to create. For instance, a still life shot for an advertisement requires ample lighting from all angles but portrait lighting is more technical and depends upon the effect the model desires.

2. Consider the ambient lighting in the room. Ambient lighting comes from natural windows and built-in lights. Although filtered light from a window can serve as your main light or a fill light, incandescent room lighting may cast an unwanted tint on your photograph. Turn off room lighting before you begin.

3. Use continuous lights if the area you are working in is small. Although these lights can get hot on a model, you can meter the light easily. Unfortunately, flash lighting in small spaces often saturates digital cameras, blowing out the highlights in a shot.

4. Place flash lighting in larger spaces or aim them into photography umbrellas to bounce the light and soften a harsh flash. To do this, aim the open part of the umbrella towards your subject and place the flash light directly facing into the open umbrella. In this manner, the flash will fire into the open umbrella and bounce back in a diffused and softened state.

5. 

   Place your main light to achieve the effect you want from your model and use the fill lights to soften harsh shadows. For instance, a basic studio lighting setup places the model in the middle of three lights. One faces her just to the side of straight forward, while another casts a fill light upon her from a 45-degree angle on the other side. In addition, a third fill light balances out the effect by casting light from slightly behind and to the side of the subject.

6. Arrange studio flood lights to shoot through photography umbrellas if you want a shadow-free and flattering effect. This is the accepted method for shooting food and small items but it also works well on a larger scale with portraits. Place the rounded ends of the umbrellas towards your model and set the studio lights on the opposite side. The filtered fabric of the umbrella allows a soft diffused light to illuminate your model’s face and erase shadows.

Tips & Warnings

• If you only have one studio light, don't give up. Try placing your model on a chair by a north-facing window and using your light to illuminate her from a 45-degree angle on the opposite side.
• Adjust your lights up and down to create flattering facial features. For instance, a main light at a slightly upward angle reduces shadows under the eyes when the model's chin is raised slightly.
• Don't leave studio lights burning when you're not in the room. They can quickly become dangerously hot and should one fall or come into contact with fabric or clothing, a fire could start.

[JasneJ]

on 8/5/2008 Excellent article filled with good hints.I will certainly pay closer attention we we do our next shoot.

[phed0017]

on 7/30/2008 Thanks, I always wondered what those umbrellas were for.