Using the Photography Studio: Basics of Studio Lighting
Basics of Studio Lighting
There are 3 main things to consider: and size of light source, intensity of light, and position of the light source
Size of Light Source
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The larger the light source, the softer the light. This means shadows will be less harshly delineated
- The DMC Photo/Video Studio offers a ring light and focusable LED lights with 34.8" diameter soft boxes
- The ring light provides soft, even lighting by mimicking a light with the same diameter as the ring, with the caveat of providing ring shaped highlights in the eyes which some people do not care for
Intensity of Light
- Both the ring light and the LED lights feature adjustable intensity from 0-100%
- As previously stated, the LED lights can be focused to be a spot beam covering a small area with greater intensity or more of a flood, dropping the maximum intensity of the light but covering a greater area
- Beyond setting the intensity on the light, the accessories you use make a difference in lighting intensity, as any diffusive material will create softer light, but also decrease the light's intensity
- The LED lights can be set up with no diffusive material or with the soft box
- The softbox also comes with a detachable grid, which allows you to direct the light at your subject without having it spill over to the backdrop
- In the event that you want crisp delineation between light and shadow, the LED lights can be used without the soft boxes, in which case using the barn doors allows for you to set hard boundaries for where the light falls
Example Photos
The ring light produces flat, even light with ring-shaped specular highlights in the eye. Taken with light positioned 3' away from the subject and the camera 5' away, with the ring light's intensity set to max.
Equipment and Settings Used:
Nikon D610, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 lens. Camera settings: 1000 ISO, f/4 aperture, 1/400s shutter speed
The soft box produces deeper shadows when positioned level with the subject. This was taken with the soft box at a 45 degree angle from the subject positioned 3' away at head height and the camera is 5' in front of the subject.
Equipment and Settings Used:
Nikon D610, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 lens. Camera settings: 1000 ISO, f/4 aperture, 1/400s shutter speed
By raising the soft box, the shadows open up some as light spills over top of the bridge of the nose to the other side of the face. The soft box was raised to the maximum height possible in the studio and angled down towards the subject. The soft box was placed at a 3' distance and the camera at a 5' distance.
Equipment and Settings Used:
Nikon D610, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 lens. Camera settings: 1000 ISO, f/4 aperture, 1/400s shutter speed
When you take off the soft box, the light increases in intensity as well as harshness. Note the hard lines of the shadows produced. This was taken with a bare light in the flood configuration positioned 3' away from the subject, with the camera 5' away from the subject. The camera settings were deliberately unchanged from the soft box images to demonstrate the difference in light intensity.
Equipment and Settings Used:
Nikon D610, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 lens. Camera settings: 1000 ISO, f/4 aperture, 1/800s shutter speed
Very similar to the previous photo, this was taken with a bare light positioned at a 45 degree angle and 3' away, but changed to its spot configuration. Note that the light is even more intense than in the flood configuration and the light spilling over to the backdrop covers a smaller area.
Equipment and Settings Used:
Nikon D610, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 lens. Camera settings: 1000 ISO, f/4 aperture, 1/800s shutter speed
Introducing a second light allows us to lessen the shadows. This portrait was taken with both soft boxes at 45 degrees from the subject on either side, 3' away, and positioned at head height. The primary soft box was set to 100% intensity, while the secondary soft box was set to 30% intensity. Notice that the shadows have substantially evened out and as a result the lighting feels more flat.
Equipment and Settings Used:
Nikon D610, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 lens. Camera settings: 1000 ISO, f/4 aperture, 1/400s shutter speed
This photo once again uses two soft boxes at 45 degrees from the subject at a distance of 3', one set to 100% intensity and the other to 30%, but they have been raised to their maximum height. This results in a bit more shadow than when they are positioned at head height, resulting in less flat lighting
Equipment and Settings Used:
Nikon D610, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 lens. Camera settings: 1000 ISO, f/4 aperture, 1/400s shutter speed
By taking the identical setup from the last photo with 2 soft boxes positioned above the subject and adding in a bare light positioned above the subject to the right side of the photo at 15% intensity, we can add a bit more separation from the subject and the background. Such a light is typically referred to as a hair light as it is used to illuminate the hair to produce subtle highlights. Barn doors were used on the hair light to prevent excess light spilling over onto the backdrop.
Equipment and Settings Used:
Nikon D610, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 lens. Camera settings: 1000 ISO, f/4 aperture, 1/400s shutter speed
Position of the Light Source
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Most lighting setups rely on lights positioned at a 45-degree angle to the subject. This allows for some shadows on the subject’s face, without being overly dramatic.
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If the light is positioned level to the subject (i.e. at the same height), the shadows will be a bit deeper than if it is placed higher than the subject and angled down towards them
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For distance to the subject, you ideally want to position the lights as close to the subject as you can without it interfering with the shot
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The ring light can be positioned directly in front of the subject for flat even lighting, which may be useful for some applications with architectural models or portraits
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Refer to the lighting guide on the wall for guidance on common lighting setups. Note that many lighting setups use a secondary light positioned at a perpendicular angle to the first set to lower intensity to fill the shadows