Studio Lighting

Techniques

Lighting technique is critical to get good photographs in a studio set up.

Photographers employ a number of techniques for creating a desirable setting

This lighting technique is borrowed from the ‘painting’ discipline. Rembrandt, a painter, used this type of light for his subjects while drawing their portraits. For creating this type of lighting, one needs to set up a light at one side of a subject such that one half of his/her face is lit while the other half is dark with just a small lit area looking like an inverted triangle

A reflector can be used on the other side of the subject to reduce the depth of shadow

Split Light

This is a one light set up. The source of light is installed on side of the subject so that light falls only on one part of the face.

The other half of the face is completely dark with no patch of light. A reflector may be added for reducing the depth of darkness on the other half of the face

In this type of studio lighting technique, the key source of light is set up at a high angle in front of the subject

Due to light falling from a higher angle, ashadow is created below the nose and chin. A reflector is placed near the lap of the model to reduce or eliminate any unwanted shadow