Portrait
Photography in a
Controlled
Lighting Environment
Presented by Bonnie and
Lou Janelle, LBJ Photography at the
Akron Camera Club Meeting
Wednesday, January 25,
2012
Most photography is done making use of
“available light” conditions. That light may come from the sun
on a cloudless or cloudy day. It may be direct or indirect (bounced
off the side of a building, etc.) Moonlight is sunlight bounced off
of the moon. Other sources of found lighting include street
lighting, lights from nearby buildings, indoor lighting, and fire.
When creating portraits under available
light conditions, the challenge presented the photographer is to
control that lighting by using reflectors (white bounce card), flags
(black light-blocking card), or light filters such as translucent
material, etc.
When cameras were first invented,
available light was the only source of lighting for photography.
Most early portrait painters made use of these same lighting
elements. That changed with the invention of flash or strobe
lighting.
With the invention of strobe lighting,
the photographer now had the ability to create and control their own
“available light”. Controlling the light to create
professional-looking portraits is the main subject of our
presentation.
This presentation will demonstrate how
one can create a professional portrait using from one to three
controlled lighting sources. This is a “show and tell”
presentation.
We will have a camera set up on a
tripod. The camera will be tethered to a laptop computer so that
each image that we create is shown immediately on the projected
screen for comment and analysis.
We will begin with one light source and
look at the effect of moving that light source through five basic
positions; the camera and subject will remain in the same position
while only the light is moved. The five positions are usually
referred to as butterfly, loop, Rembrandt, split, and rim lighting.
We will also discuss and demonstrate
the posing of the subject in relation to the five lighting positions.
The three main views of the face or body are: full, two-thirds, and
profile. We will also point out proper hand placement and body
placement with the subject seated and standing. We will also briefly
address the concept of “masculine” and “feminine” poses.
More information regarding this
presentation can be found on our blog at:
(Additional
Notes)
Basic Studio
Photography
Start with an empty room.
Background:
Add background (Botero Collapsible
#023 Muslim Background, 5' x 7', dark and light grey, cost = $55)
Add support stand (Impact light
stand; cost = $20)
Lighting Equipment
Nikon SB-800 speedlights – cost
approximately $400 each.
Impact light stands – cost
approximately $20 each.
Impact 32” convertible umbrellas
– cost approximately $15 each.
Umbrella brackets – cost
approximately $15 each.
Westcott Apollo Speedlite Kit with
28” softbox – cost approximately $115.
Portrait Lighting
Key Light Placement
Butterfly
Loop
Rembrandt
Split
Rim or Accent (Profile)
Additional Lights
Background
Fill or Bounce
Hair
On-axis
Subject Positioning
Masculine Pose
Feminine Pose
Standing
Masculine Pose
Feminine Pose
