Lighting the Scene For Photographers

As a nature photographer I had the awesome power of a higher power lighting my landscapes. However, when I start to photograph people the issue of light intrudes on my calculations. When a photographer is shooting outdoors you have lots of light, but it often is in the wrong place as it lights up the face. Quite often the shadows are too dark and the highlights are blown out. A good photographer will have to figure out ways to soften the outdoor light with shade trees or sometimes with objects that will shade the face or something that is translucent that the light is filtered through. But what do you do when you are indoors?

Photographers in the studio will use flash or continuous studio lighting to produce a light that can be controlled, moved and regulated. I have been recently researching the opportunities and the challenges of different lighting technologies. The use of radio controlled flash devices leaves the photographer in charge with the ability to position multiple flash units in exactly the right places. Most professional photographers use flash strobes in their studios. The use of continuous lighting lets the photographer see the light on the subject all the time. This lighting technology is newly enhanced with “cool” lights that produce daylight color without the heat formerly associated with “hot” lights. Continuous lighting is good for beginning photographers but costs somewhat more than flash setups.

Those photographers with a fixed studio will have the ability to choose umbrellas and soft boxes for softening the light. These are are powered with flash units or a variety of other color correct light that is always on. As I grow in my photography I have started putting together the makings of a small studio that I can take on the road.

For a tutorial about all things about portraiture I recommend that you check out lumitouch.com/benstudiotutorial/index.html, a great tutorial that gives you all the technical details of how to shoot a portrait from the position of the body and face to the ratio of light on each side of the face. For research into flash technologies I keep coming back to the Strobist site at www.strobist.blogspot.com/ for information and tutorials about lighting with flash instruments.

My home studio includes continuous lighting with color balanced florescent shooting through two umbrellas and a set of backgrounds made from shower curtains (do not laugh, it works). The backgrounds are on a home made rig created from a clothing rack that is extended with PVC pipe. I have a set of reflectors and an LED hair light with snoot.

Randy Jackson is an experienced Arizona photographer. His photography is about nature and events such as public functions and sports. He writes about photography and technology on his blog and displays his work at a photography site. More information can be gleaned about Randy at his blog: Random Thoughts of a Photographer
Randy’s gallery and store are at: Randy Jackson Images-hosted by SmugMug

Author: Randy K Jackson