Things You'll Need:
- Studio lights Backdrops Soft box Reflectors Studio umbrellas
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Step 1
Bounce your light sources into photography umbrellas in order to diffuse the light beams and soften the shadows on your subject's face. Harsh direct lighting creates sharp unflattering shadows that make facial features look stark and angular. Instead of aiming the studio lights towards your subject, point them into a photography umbrella that will diffuse the light as it illuminates the model's face.
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Step 2
Try a traditional three-light configuration that is flattering to most subjects. Use two lights at 20-degree angles on either side of your camera and one more light, opposite your main light to reduce shadows from behind. This configuration allows full soft illumination of the subjects face while reducing rear shadows and providing a backlit effect.
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Step 3
Place the studio lights, described in Step 2, progressively farther away from the model. Position the main light where it illuminates the model's face then increase the distance of the front fill light by 1/3 and increase the distance of the rear fill light by 1/2. For instance, if your main light is 6-feet from your model, your front fill light should be 8-feet away and your rear fill light should be 9-feet away.
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Step 4
Elevate your rear light in order to highlight your subject's hair. This light is sometimes called a "hair light" because it illuminates the fine hairs around the outside of the head from behind. The rear fill light adds a professional touch that a snapshot just can't achieve.
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Step 5
Cover your main light with a soft box if you want direct illumination with moderate diffusion. This creates a more dramatic effect and is useful when shooting portraits for advertising and business cards. Position the soft box at a 25-degree front angle to your subject and use a reflector instead of a front fill light as described in Step 3. Position your backlight to shine on the backdrop instead of the subject's hair to reduce shadows. Adjust the reflector until facial shadows are very soft, just enough to lend depth to the subject's features.
