How to set up light in a photography studio. Studio lighting - installation nuances or how to make a photo studio at home

Adult portraits are suitable for children's photography. The first task of a photographer when photographing a child is to create a pleasant, soft light for the portrait. Another problem is the natural activity of children, which negates all the photographer’s efforts to create a successful photo. What schemes, however, can help you convey the child’s innocence and spontaneity, while not restricting his movement too much? The examples below will help you solve these problems.

Some basics

In studio photography, the photographer has a huge number of lighting options to create the “perfect light.” But each is usually based on the use of three or four light sources: key, fill (as additional fill light) and backlight (to highlight the background or the model’s hair).

The key light creates the main light and shadow pattern on the model's face. One of the easiest ways to control a key light is to change the location of a large softbox relative to the model. This allows you to get a shooting space “flooded” with soft light and at the same time not worry about the correct position of the baby.
Fill light is used to highlight the shadows created by the key light on your model's face. Its source can be either a second artificial lighting device or a reflector installed opposite the source of key light. When using a separate fill light source, it is possible to use additional reflectors in conjunction with it. This technique is often used to better fill shadows throughout the model's entire figure or to create highlights in the eyes.
Keep the reflector handy or mount it on a boom stand for added convenience. An inexpensive and simple reflector can be made from a sandwich panel (PVC sheet). You can purchase a panel of the required size or cut it yourself. By connecting two sheets at an angle (in the shape of the letter “V”), we get a large reflector that can stand on its own and diffuse light well. It can also be used as a simple background if the child climbs inside.

The choice of lighting determines how the scene you shoot will look. You decide. Artificial lighting will give a clear and bright picture. Natural – will make the photo “warm” and soft.

Three simple lighting schemes

So, below are some simple lighting schemes for taking a portrait in a room with one window.

Scheme A. This scheme uses a large softbox (key light), a reflector made of sandwich panels measuring 120x240 cm (fill light) and a back light source (see figure). The scheme provides a pure cut-off pattern. Soft shadows will pleasantly emphasize the volume. Good for shooting children who are difficult to hold still. (note: The window is darkened and does not affect the lighting)

Scheme B. In this scheme, light from the window is used as a key light source (video light can be used additionally), a V-shaped reflector made of sandwich panels and a reflector are used to fill the shadows. The light pattern obtained when using this scheme is a little softer and warmer than in scheme A. In addition, this scheme allows you to shoot in high-speed mode, and you will not miss the slightest emotion on the child’s face.

Scheme C. This scheme uses window light (softened by a curtain) and a large softbox as key light to produce a photograph in . The fill light comes from a large (1.2 x 2.4 meter) V-shaped reflector placed to the right of the model. A reflector and a source are also used to illuminate the background. Overall, this scheme allows you to create a bright and attractive design of high contrast, with well-developed texture and minimal shadows. Its only drawback is that the model has less freedom to move.

What schemes do you use for photographing children? Share with your colleagues in the comments!

Theory of photography

Types of lighting:

Drawing is the main source of light that creates a light-and-shadow pattern. The power of the key light source should always be greater than the fill light. As a rule, the difference between the shadow and illuminated sides for color photography should be 1-1.5 steps, for black and white. photo - 2 steps and more. For a family portrait, the fill light should be slightly weaker than the key light to avoid harsh shadows. Key light can be used as the only light source, or combined with others.

Fill – installed after the key light is installed. Serves to fill individual parts or the entire subject with light, as well as soften shadows.

Modulating - used to highlight the sides of the subject, highlight hair, shoulders and separate the subject from the background. Depending on the purpose and creative ideas, modeling light can be soft or hard.

Backlight – illuminates the object from behind, separates it from the background, and highlights the outline.

Background – used to highlight the background. The background light seems to separate the subject from the background, creating a sense of volume.

The direction of light can be frontal, diagonal, side, rear-diagonal, back.

2. Scenic light

We move the device from the front to the diagonal position and get picturesque light. In this case, the shadow from the model’s nose goes slightly to the side.

3. Triangle

We continue to shift the light source to the side until the shadow from the nose merges with the shadow from the cheek, forming a light triangle. When you turn your head in one direction or the other, the triangle expands or contracts. As the height of the light source changes, the triangle also moves up and down.

4. Shadow and light-tonal half-turn

With this light scheme, the subject's face is turned three-quarters away from the camera. The drawing source, located in a lateral position, illuminates that part of the face that is located further from the camera, and most of the face, located closer to the camera, remains in shadow. A light-tonal half-turn is the same as a shadow half-turn, only a reflector is installed on the camera side to create a translucent shadow.

5. Modulation

The source is in a posterior diagonal position, with a narrow stream of light passing along the cheek of the subject. A directed stream of light can be created using a tube or curtains.

6. Backlight

The light source is located behind the model. Backlight is used when it is necessary to convey a clear outline of an object, rather than its volume.

7. Fireplace light

In this scheme, the light source is located below the model’s face, almost on the floor. This position allows you to imitate the light from a fireplace or fire. The face of the subject is illuminated from below at an angle of 45 degrees. The light source can be directed into a gold reflector, which creates a more natural yellowish tint to simulate fire.

8. High and low key

High key. The light source is installed frontally, just above the model’s head; you can install a second source from below at an angle of 45 degrees. This scheme allows you to achieve soft, uniform, almost shadowless lighting. We place two strips behind us that will highlight the white background. The power of the sources should be 1.5 - 2 steps higher than the main light. Those. in other words, we simply overexpose the background so that it looks dazzling white.

Low key. In contrast to high key, dark tones predominate in the photograph - the background, the model’s clothing, and minimal lighting. A photograph taken in low key evokes a sense of drama. More often, one light source is used, highlighting individual parts of the object (the semantic center), for example, a face, rather than the entire object.

In a classic portrait there are a few things you need to keep in mind and think about how to make the most flattering portrait of your model, showing her at her best. These are the ratio of illumination, light and shadow pattern, type of face and angle of view. I suggest you become familiar with these basic concepts because to break the rules you need to know them. However, if you study well and put this knowledge into practice, it will help you take portraits of people much better. This article is about light patterns: what they are and why they are important to know and use. Perhaps in the future, in other articles, if you like it, I will talk about other components of a good photographic portrait.

I define black and white drawing as the play of light and shadow on the face, creating various shapes. Simply put, it is the shape of shadows on the face. There are four main lighting schemes for portraits:

Side lighting
Loop lighting or "loop" pattern
Rembrandt light diagram
Butterfly pattern

There are also concepts of wide and short light, this is more of a style of lighting and can be combined with most of the schemes above. Let's look at each scheme separately

1. Side light

Side light splits the face into two equal parts, one of which is illuminated and the other is in shadow. It is often used to create dramatic portraits, such as that of a musician or artist. This light is more suitable for male portraits and, as a rule, is rarely used for female ones. However, keep in mind that there are no hard and fast rules in photography, so I suggest you use the information you've learned as a starting point or guide. Until you are confident in your knowledge, it is better to act as the classic manuals suggest.

To achieve the sidelight effect, simply place the light source at a 90-degree angle to the left or right of the model, sometimes even slightly behind the head. The placement and position of the light source will depend on the person's face. Watch how the light falls on your face and move the source. If the side light is positioned correctly, there should be a highlight in the eye on the shadow side of the face. If you can't get rid of the light hitting your cheek, it is quite possible that this type of face is not suitable for side light.

Note: any lighting scheme can be used with any head rotation (full face, when both ears are visible, ¾ face, or even profile). Just keep in mind that the position of the light source must change in accordance with the rotation of the head to maintain the desired cut-off pattern.

What is a "blink"?

Notice that in the photo above there are reflections of the light source in the child's eyes. They appear as small white specks, but if we look closer we can see the shape of the source I used to take this portrait.

Look, this bright spot is actually a hexagon with a dark center? This is a small hexagonal softbox on my Canon flash that I used for shooting.

This is the "flare". Without glare, the eyes appear dark and lifeless. You need to make sure there is a highlight in at least one of the model's eyes to bring the photo to life. Note that the highlight also brightens the iris and makes the eyes appear brighter overall. This enhances the feeling of life and gives them shine.

2. Loop lighting

Loop lighting creates a slight shadow from the nose onto the cheek. To get such lighting, you need to place the source slightly above eye level and at an angle of 30-45 degrees from the camera (depending on the person’s face, to correctly set up any scheme you need to learn to read people’s faces).

Look at this photo to see how the shadow falls, and on the left side you can also see a small shadow from the nose. In a loop pattern, the shadow from the nose should not extend too far onto the cheek, much less overlap with the shadow from the cheek. Try to keep the shadow small and pointing slightly downward, but keep in mind that if the source is raised too high, the shadows may look strange and the highlights in the eyes may disappear. The loop design seems to be the most popular as it is easy to create and suits most people.

In this diagram, the black background represents a background with trees. Sunlight comes from behind the trees, but they are completely in the shade. A white reflector located to the left of the camera reflects light back onto the subjects' faces. By choosing the location of the reflector, you can change the illumination of people's faces. Loop lighting is achieved by positioning it approximately 30-45 degrees from the camera. The reflector should also be positioned just above their eye level so that the shadow of the nose falls slightly down towards the corner of the mouth. One of the common mistakes made by beginners is the low location of the reflector and its tilt. As a result, the face and nose are illuminated from below, which looks unsightly.

3. Rembrandt light

The design is called Rembrandt because this type of lighting is often found in Rembrandt's paintings, as can be seen in his self-portrait above. Rembrandt lighting is defined by the presence of a triangle of light on the cheek. Unlike loop light, where the shadow from the nose and cheek does not close together, here they merge together, which creates a light triangle on the cheek under the eye on the shadow side. To create the correct scheme, you should make sure that there is a highlight from the light source in the eye on the shadow side, otherwise the eyes will be “dead”, without a pleasant shine. Rembrandt's lighting is more dramatic, as such a chiaroscuro pattern creates a more restless mood for the portrait. Use it accordingly.

To create Rembrandt lighting, it is necessary for the model to be slightly away from the light. The source should be above the top of the head so that the shadow of the nose falls on the cheek. Not every person is suitable for this scheme. If it has high or prominent cheekbones, the design may work. If the model has a small nose or a flat bridge, this lighting may be difficult to achieve. Again, remember that you don't have to do this exact circuit with this exact model. Choose something that will highlight the model’s advantages and present it in the most advantageous way. Then the lighting will work as it should. If you are using a window as a light source and the light from the window falls onto the floor, you may need to cover the bottom of the window with a gobo or panel to achieve this type of lighting.

4. Butterfly pattern

This pattern is aptly named "butterfly" after the shape of the nose shadow it creates. if the light source is placed above and directly behind the camera. Basically, with this setup, the photographer is under the light source. The butterfly pattern is often used for glamor shots, highlighting the model's cheekbones. It is also suitable for shooting older people, since, unlike other schemes, it emphasizes wrinkles less.

The butterfly pattern is created by a light source directly behind the camera and slightly above the eyes or head, depending on the type of face. Sometimes the scheme is supplemented with a reflector directly under the chin; the model can even hold it herself. This scheme suits models with beautiful cheekbones and a narrow face. A round or wide face will look better with a loop pattern or even a side light. This pattern is more difficult to create using light from a window or reflector. Often, to make shadows more pronounced, a more powerful and directional light source, such as the sun or a flash, is needed.

5. Wide illumination

Broad lighting is not so much a pattern or pattern as it is a style or variety. Any of the following patterns can be done with a wide or short light: loop, Rembrandt, side light.

Wide lighting is when a person's face is slightly turned and illuminates the side of the face that is closer to the camera. The illuminated side is larger in area than the shadow side. Wide lighting is sometimes used for high key portraits. This type of lighting makes a person's face appear wider (hence the name) and can be used on models with a narrow face to make it look wider. Most people, however, want to look slimmer, not wider, so this lighting is best not used on wide or round faces.

To create wide illumination, the face must be turned away from the light source. Notice that the side of the face closest to the camera is illuminated, while the shadow falls on the far side. Simply put, broad light illuminates most of the face that we see.

6. Short lighting

Short lighting is the opposite of wide. As you can see in the photo above, in short light the side of the face facing the camera (wide) is in shadow, while the side away from the camera (narrow) is illuminated. This type of lighting is often used for low key or dark portraits. It makes the face more voluminous, sculpted, and visually narrows a wide face, which most people like.

For this design, the face should be facing the light source. Note that this illuminates the side of the face facing away from the camera, while the shadow falls on the side facing the camera. Simply put, in short light, most of the face we see is in shadow.

Putting it all together

Once you learn to recognize and create each of the lighting patterns, learn to apply them in different situations. By studying people's faces, you will learn what lighting scheme will work best for that particular person to create the mood in the portrait and show the person in the best possible way. If a person has a round face and wants to appear slimmer, then they should be lit differently than a person who wants to take a dramatic photo. When you know all the patterns, know how to control the quality of light, its direction and ratio, you can cope with any shooting task.

Of course, it is much easier to change the lighting by moving the source. However, if the source is the sun or a window, you don’t move them much. Here, instead of moving the source, you need to change the position of the model or object, rotate them in relation to the light. Or change the camera location. So, if you can't move the light source, you need to move yourself and move your subject.

Practical exercises

Choose your subject (preferably a person, not your dog) and practice creating each lighting scheme. which we analyzed:

Butterfly
A loop
Rembrandt
Side light

Remember that there is also wide and short lighting and apply it to different types of models' faces where necessary. Don't worry about the other aspects (light/shadow ratio, fill light, etc.), for now concentrate on getting a good drawing. Use light from a window, a floor lamp without a lampshade, or the sun, that is, a source from which you can see how light and shadow fall on your face. I suggest you don't use flash at first, as you don't have enough experience yet to visualize the result before the photo is taken. This may hinder your learning.

It's also best to start working with your face facing directly towards the camera, without turning (except to practice creating wide and short lighting).

Show us your results and write about the problems you encountered. I will try to help you solve them so that you and others will not make similar mistakes next time.

Publication date: 22.03.2017

Beginning photographers are usually afraid of studios. Some people find it difficult to work with studio equipment; others argue that filming in a studio is boring. These are the two most common misconceptions.

Now in almost every city you can rent a studio for photography. Most of them are interior, which allows you to solve many problems. But I recommend starting to learn drawing with light in a studio where there is no other decoration except a black and white background. This way, you will be focused solely on the model and will be able to see how the placement of the lamps around it creates a particular cut-off pattern.

NIKON D800 / 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: ISO 125, F5, 1/200 s, 62.0 mm equiv.

Technique and settings

I shoot with a Nikon D800, alternating between two lenses: a Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor zoom and a Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor prime. A zoom lens is suitable for those who are shooting in a studio for the first time: it allows you to quickly change plans. A prime lens will suit any photographer: it is inexpensive, but at the same time it gives a very sharp image, especially at a closed aperture. And an open aperture is used very rarely in the studio.

You don't have to have expensive photography equipment to shoot in a studio. A camera of any level is suitable, from amateur to professional. For example, Nikon D7200 and Nikon D5500 will do an excellent job of studio shooting. The main condition for working with light is the presence of a connector for installing a synchronizer, or, as it is also called, a “hot shoe”. You also need the ability to control ISO, shutter speed and aperture manually. Don't let this scare you, because in fact, shutter speed does not affect the amount of light entering the camera lens. For studio shooting, it should be 1/125–1/200, while being equal to the sync speed, which usually lies in the range of 1/160–1/200, depending on the camera model. If the shutter speed is shorter than the sync values, then black stripes from the shutter curtains will appear in the pictures. The ISO value in the studio is always set to a minimum: ISO 100 or ISO 200, which is determined by the capabilities of your camera. That is, your only corrector when shooting will be the aperture.

At the very beginning of shooting, take a few test shots and adjust all the necessary parameters. When choosing optics, remember that it is inconvenient to work with a long lens (above 85 mm), since there may simply not be enough space in the studio to shoot a full-length model.

NIKON D800 / 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: ISO 80, F3.2, 1/200 s, 24.0 mm equiv.

NIKON D800 / 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: ISO 80, F2.8, 1/200 s, 44.0 mm equiv.

Lighting schemes

Today I will show you some simple light patterns that you can use to ensure guaranteed results.

When working with light sources, use a synchronizer. Attach it to the external flash connector on the camera to control the light sources using the synchronizer receiver, which is connected to one of the lamps. Make sure that this lamp is turned on when shooting, then the synchronization will work. When taking photographs for this article, I used lighting attachments: octobox, softbox, reflector and stripbox. A reflector was also used.

Nozzles and their application

	Softboxes There are two types: rectangular, square and octagonal (octoboxes). They are needed to create soft light. For full-length photography, a large rectangular soft is used; for portraits, as a rule, a small square one.
	Octobox has the shape of an octagon. Most often it is used on a crane, since the nozzle itself is quite massive and allows you to illuminate a large area. One octobox is easily suitable for shooting a group portrait. Its light is soft, reminiscent of daylight from a window.
	Stripbox- this is a narrow rectangle. They are used mainly for backlighting to create beautiful volumetric highlights on the model.
	Reflector gives hard light. Suitable for backlighting, background lighting, and for creating portraits with sharp shadows. Often it is used not alone, but with “curtains”, or honeycombs, to adjust the light. During creative experiments, you can use color filters for it.
	Reflector- a photographer’s accessory that helps to mirror the incident bright light and, thus, highlight the shadow side of the model or object. This reduces the contrast between the brightly lit side and the shadow side. The shapes of the reflector can be different, the surface colors can be several shades: white, silver, gold. Each shade is used to produce a specific light. Gold makes the reflected light warmer, silver makes it cooler, and white makes it neutral. A very useful and inexpensive accessory that will be useful to the photographer not only in the studio, but also in the open air: for example, it will help soften shadows in sunny weather.

Scheme 1: Light background

Let's start with the simplest thing: using one light source when shooting against a light background. Position it about 45 degrees away from the model and ask the model to face the source.

Thus, we get this picture:

NIKON D800 / 50.0 mm f/1.8 SETTINGS: ISO 200, F3.2, 1/200 s, 50.0 mm equiv.

A source with a softbox attachment produces soft light and shadows. The nozzle was located on the left, shadows formed on the right.

Scheme 2: Light background

Now you can add the same source to the right, slightly behind the model. In practice, softboxes should be placed diagonally to each other.

This results in a picture like this:

NIKON D800 / 50.0 mm f/1.8 SETTINGS: ISO 200, F3.2, 1/200 s, 50.0 mm equiv.

Please note: on the right there are highlights on the face, shoulder and arm, which gives the photo more volume.

Backlight is needed in order to separate the model from the background and create a light halo around her, as well as to obtain an illuminated outline of the figure thanks to highlights. The backlight source is always located behind the model and directed at her. In terms of power, it is always weaker than the source that is located in front of the model.

Scheme 3: Dark background

Now you can see how one source will paint in a dark background.

We place the source slightly to the side and slightly above the model.

As you can see, our model has merged with the black background. To separate it, we need another source with a “reflector” attachment. Point it only at the background. The power of this source should be weaker than the power of the one directed at the model.

Now it is clearly visible that the model is not in a black hole; there is space behind it.

NIKON D800 / 50.0 mm f/1.8 SETTINGS: ISO 200, F6.3, 1/200 s, 50.0 mm equiv.

Scheme 4: Dark background

Another simple scheme looks like this: on one side of the model you place a softbox, and diagonally, just behind the model, a stripbox with honeycombs. Honeycombs are attachments in the form of a large lattice to obtain a strictly directed light flux. Thanks to the honeycomb, the light does not spread to the sides, but remains as soft as always when pouring from the softbox.

There is one drawback to this design: strong shadows will fall on the neck area. To avoid this, I add a reflector at the bottom.

Examples below: before and after adding a reflector.

NIKON D800 / 50.0 mm f/1.8 SETTINGS: ISO 200, F4.5, 1/200 s, 50.0 mm equiv.

Let's add light to the background to separate it from the model.

We get the result:

NIKON D800 / 50.0 mm f/1.8 SETTINGS: ISO 200, F5, 1/200 s, 50.0 mm equiv.

Pattern 5: White background

When shooting on a white background, you can use the following scheme. Place two sources (in this case, softboxes) behind the model, pointing them at the background, and one in front of the model, illuminating her. The source should be slightly higher than the camera (I used a crane with an octobox).

Greetings, dear reader! Today I will tell you about something you have long dreamed of knowing, but apparently were afraid to ask :)
This is a post about how to make a high-quality, interesting studio portrait with only two light sources, white umbrellas for illumination, a beauty plate, white and black paper backgrounds, and a portrait reflector.

Anticipating your euphoria, I hasten to warn you - there is no description here of some “universal-magical” method of setting up studio light, which will immediately allow you to take photographs at the level of “great fathers” like Helmut Newton or La Chapelle.
But this material will significantly expand the scope of application of a number of studio flashes that have become boring to you and will be a good incentive for self-improvement.

Why only two sources? Firstly, quantity does not always equal quality, although I like to say the phrase “there is never too much light” when shooting in the studio. Secondly, once you learn how to master two light sources, you can easily move on to shooting with three or more light sources. Thirdly, two light sources in the studio are the basic minimum, and often the maximum. I dare to assume that our reader has probably already equipped his own small cozy photo studio at home, or is thinking about it. So, for a home studio with a small area and possibly a limited budget, two light sources are quite enough.

I use all these schemes in my studio work, and they have been repeatedly disassembled into components with my students.

Scheme one.

Using one light source (monoblock + dish reflector) and a white paper background, we created a rigid pattern of light and shadow, with clear transitions between them. The model stands close to the background so that the frontal light source creates a short, dense shadow on the white background. The height of the monoblock can vary depending on the task at hand - the higher the monoblock relative to the model, the longer the shadow will be. Ideally, you need a “crane” type stand; this will allow you to position the monoblock strictly opposite the model and nothing will interfere with shooting, as can be the case when using a regular stand.

Scheme two.

Using one light source (candy bar + white umbrella “for light”) and a black paper background, we made a portrait where the model’s face was illuminated from only one side. This lighting scheme will add depth and expressiveness to the portrait, although its specificity is that it will not suit every model. In this case, the model is located at some distance from the background. Usually the monoblock is located at the level of the model's head.

Scheme three.

Using two light sources (monoblocks + white umbrellas “for light”) and a white paper background, we position them diagonally relative to the model. The main light source is located on the left (see diagram) and works as a “drawing” light source, creating a soft light-shadow pattern. The additional source is located to the right behind the model (see diagram) and is directed towards the background behind the model. Thus, the additional light source works simultaneously as a filler, eliminating gaps in the shadows to the right of the model, and as a backlight, adding “volume” to the portrait. Please note that in this case the model is not positioned parallel to the background, but at three-quarters. The height of the main light source can vary, usually at face level or slightly higher. An additional light source can be placed a little lower, at the level of the model’s shoulders, to more evenly distribute the light on a white background. This photo was taken through wet glass.

Scheme four.

In this scheme, we used two light sources (monoblocks + white umbrellas “for light”) and a white paper background. Both sources are installed on the left and right relative to the model, each source shines at approximately 45 degrees (see diagram). In this case, both sources “work” to fill the scene, creating a very soft light-shadow pattern. There are no deep shadows on the face of a model with this scheme. The height of the light sources may vary. Usually they are located at the model’s eye level, or slightly higher. With this scheme, the white background, due to “underlighting,” acquires a shade of gray. You can use this effect, or frame the portrait so that the background is not visible.
By the way, when shooting beauty portraits, we often use a portrait reflector. And this photo clearly demonstrates the advantage of using this photo accessory. When shooting in a studio, it is very useful - with its help you can distribute the light more evenly across the face, making the transitions in the shadows on the neck and lower part of the model’s face as soft as possible. Here we used a small reflector (not shown in the diagram), diameter 32 inches, working surface – “silver”, location – in the center, at the level of the model’s chest.

Scheme five.

In this scheme we used two light sources (monoblocks + white umbrellas “for light”) and a black paper background. Both sources are installed on the left and right, diagonally relative to the model. The main source is installed to the left of the model, this is our “drawing” light, it forms a light triangle on the right side of the model’s face (see photo). This scheme is often called “triangle”. The second light source is located in this case on the right; it creates “backlight” light, highlighting the hair and figure of the model, adding volume to the portrait. A slight “exposure” of the background changes the pure black color to a gradation of dark gray. In this case, this is rather an advantage, because gray is lighter and more neutral.

Scheme six.

Here we used two light sources (monoblocks + white umbrellas “for light”) and a white paper background. Both sources are installed on the left and right relative to the model, each source shines at approximately an angle of 90 degrees (see diagram). In this case, both sources “work” to fill, creating a soft light-shadow pattern on the left and right, while in the center of the model’s face we get an area with deep shadows. This lighting scheme will add expressiveness to the portrait, although it is not suitable for everyone. In this case, the white background takes on shades of gray.

Scheme seven.

In this scheme we used two light sources (monoblocks + one white umbrella “for light”) and a black paper background. Both sources are installed on the left and right, diagonally relative to the model (see diagram). The main source is installed almost frontally relative to the model; this is our “fill” light; it creates almost uniform illumination of the scene over its entire area. The second light source is located on the right and behind, it creates “backlight” light, highlighting the model’s figure, adds rigidity in the overall light key, thanks to it volume appears. The “cup” that comes with the monoblock is used as a diffuser. With its help you can make very tight light-shadow transitions, with virtually no gradations. Please note that the “background” source was installed for one more purpose - to effectively “drawing” small water splashes.

Scheme eight.

In this scheme, we used two light sources (monoblocks + white umbrellas “for light”) and a white paper background. Both sources are installed behind the model, left and right, and directed towards a white background at an angle of about 45 degrees (see diagram). In this case, both sources “work” to create a soft silhouette portrait. By using a white background and “filling”, diffused light, the model is lightly illuminated. Small details are hidden in the shadows, but the general outline of the face is quite recognizable. If desired, you can apply a light color tint to the background; in this case, we used pink to make the photo more delicate, warm and sensual.

Scheme nine.

Using two light sources (monoblock + dish reflector and monoblock + standard cup) and a white paper background, we position them as indicated in the diagram. We place the “plate” frontally, slightly above the model’s eye level. As a result, we get the so-called “butterfly” – this light scheme is characterized by the shadow of the model’s nose in the shape of a butterfly. This scheme is also called the “Hollywood portrait” - many portraits in the film industry are shot this way. By the way, the higher the reflector is located, the longer the shadow from the nose will be; here the size of the shadow is minimal, the classic scheme assumes a slightly longer shadow. The model in the photo stands at a distance of about a meter from the background, the shadow of the figure falls on the background, thereby making the frame more “dense”. This is not at all a prerequisite, especially if you are shooting a facial portrait.
Ideally, you need a “crane” type stand; this will allow you to position the monoblock strictly opposite the model and nothing will interfere with shooting, as can be the case when using a regular stand. An additional light source was located immediately behind the model, at shoulder level, creating “backlighting”. This is how we got the texture of the hair “drawn” and added volume to the picture.

Scheme ten.

This scheme is rather a bonus, since it is very similar to the fourth one, the arrangement of monoblocks is almost the same, white umbrellas and a white paper background are also used (see diagram). However, a significant difference between this scheme and the previous ones is the absence of pulsed light - this portrait was shot exclusively with a modeling light. Due to much lower light power, you can take a portrait with the shortest possible depth of field.

The number of lighting schemes that are used when shooting a portrait in the studio is not limited to ten options, and of course you should not limit yourself to two light sources. I demonstrate these diagrams as visual examples to show:
1. Everything ingenious is simple.
2. This material will make life much easier for those of you who are just about to take the first step towards shooting in the studio.
3. These ten schemes are just the tip of the iceberg:) I have something to say, show, and teach.
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I teach photography - individually and in small groups.
You can choose a course in the area that interests you or create an individual lesson plan.
Own methodological base of educational materials.

For questions about conducting classes in Kyiv, please call: 097 769 73 93

If you are not in Kyiv, I can offer it for you.

P.S.: I would like to thank my wife Maria for her help in preparing this article for publication (selecting photos and drawing up illustrations for lighting schemes).