How To Use Strobes And Studio Lighting Pt 2

Adjusting the speed of your shutter to match its recommended sync speed.

If you’re using studio strobe lighting and have several lights joined together using optical slaves and fast synching of 1/500 or faster, your strobes may need a much slower sync speed of between 1/250 and 1/125 in order to align every light for a single shot. The rule of thumb is generally to use the fastest shutter that also provides you with an image that is properly exposed. If you choose a faster shutter speed, you risk a significant loss of light in the resulting image.

Cameras that utilize either an electronic or leaf-type shutter can often shoot images at speeds that exceed the recommended sync speed. As a result, you will experience a lower exposure because the image is unable to capture the entire strobe burst. This technique is useful if you’re interested in images that capture stop action movement, this technique is ideal. As an example, a high-end digital SLR, which naturally has an electronic shutter, can work with strobes at a speed set as high as 1/8,000. The compromise is the amount of light in the resulting image.

Cameras that have a focal plane such as a traditional film SLR, or newer digital models are set to expose the image at or below the rated sync speed.

If your goal is to include the ambient light in an image, choose a slower sync speed.

Placing the Lights

Light placement is as individual as the photographer taking the shot and can be the result of years of practice to get the perfect image.

As an example of placement, set two large reflective umbrellas on either side of your subject and add a single light that shines from above and behind your subject to highlight their hair and contours. Consider adding an object like a Gobo to block out the light coming from behind the subject’s hair, which can create unwanted reflections in your image. This setup should work on a variety of subjects, including people and objects.

No matter how you set up your strobe and studio lighting, there is no incorrect or correct way to take a photograph. The sign of a true photographic artist is their willingness to consistently adjust their use of lights and angles. For your images, keep in mind that the way you light a subject is far more important than the camera you use to take the shot.

How To Use Strobes And Studio Lighting Pt 1

Working with strobes and studio lighting requires an understanding of how to properly use them with your camera.

Connecting Strobes and Studio Lights To Your Camera

Studio and strobe lighting typically comes with a cord that is long enough to plus into your camera’s sync outlet but not long enough to prevent tripping on it. This poses a hazard to your valuable equipment as well as your own well-being. Instead of using this plug and if your camera does not have PC connection terminal, you can purchase a coupler for less than $20. The coupler plugs into the hot shoe of your camera.

Triggering your strobe lighting can be accomplished by plugging an on-board flash with an optical slave that is plugged into your strobe’s power device.

An inexpensive slave attached to your power pack, combined with the on-board camera flash and manual mode can help you take a great shot without unwanted pre-flashes. When using both strobes and studio lighting, try using a lower power setting in order to decrease the drain on batteries and allow the lights to recycle faster. Using just 1/4 power can reduce your flash recycling to match that of your studio lights. If the strobes don’t have enough power to fire, you can raise the amount of power on the trigger flash. Making this change however, won’t affect when your studio strobes fire in response to the same exposure. This occurs regardless of the setting on your trigger flash.

There’s a reason why professional photographers rely heavily on their on-board flash. Adding a ot shoe flash to a professional digital camera adds unnecessary weight that can affect your ability to move around and get a stable shot. Keep in mind however that if you work with a  camera model such as a Nikon D70 or D200, you have the ability to use the on-board flash to trigger nearly any brand of slave except those controlled by RF.

Controlling Exposure When taking your shots, no settings should need to be changed and your lighting will be sitting up on stands. Use manual exposure on your camera, because you are required to use it when working with studio strobe lighting. Setting the correct exposure is a matter of  settings and adjustments.

An Inside Look : Studio Portrait Lighting Techniques

Proper lighting is a necessity of taking professional looking photographs, including portraits. The knowledge and experience a portrait photographer can offer a client is the main reason they seek out professional services for family portraits, wedding photos and business headshots. Proper lighting used in portrait photography will enhance and flatter the subject’s appearance.

To create proper portrait lighting you need various studio lighting,  photographic backdrops, a soft box, reflectors and studio umbrellas.

Photo : Robert Mitchell

Bounce the main light into a photographic umbrella, this will soften any shadows on the subjects face. The main light should be placed to one side at a 45-degree angle from the camera. Avoid the use of strong, harsh lighting which will create an undesired stark look and angular facial features.

Use a soft box on the man light to diffuse it. This is a common practice when shooting portraits for advertising purposes. Place the soft box at a 25-degree angle in front of your subject. To add fill light when using a soft box you can use a reflector board to bounce the light onto the subject.

You can use three lights in your studio when shooting portraits. Place two of the lights on each side of the camera at 20-degree angles. The third light should be placed opposite the main light and slightly behind the subject. Studio lights should be placed in a progressive pattern as they go away from the subject. For example, if the main light is located six feet in front of the subject, your front fill light should be approximately eight feet away.

Fundamentals : Soft Lighting In Portrait Photography

When you invite a client into your studio for a portrait session, clients expect to walk away with a photograph that is a realistic likeness free of  flaws and blemishes, of course. Taking portraits that flatter your subject generally lead to happier customers. One way to improve your chances of pleasing your customers is with soft lighting. Soft lighting is much more flattering than harsh lighting. Achieving a perfect balance between harsh lights and soft lights takes some artistic interpretation, practice and technical expertise.

Harsh lighting accentuates minute details that include scars and wrinkles in your portrait subject. It also produces more shadows around features like the chin, nose and eyes. Soft lighting tends to obscure the fine details and produce a smooth, even facial texture for your photograph.

In order to grasp the concept of harsh light and soft light, stop thinking about light as being bright or dim. It is really about being big or wide, and small or narrow. Simply stated, harsh light is smaller, more targeted and soft light is larger. If you are taking photos outside rather than inside in front of a photographic backdrop, consider the outdoor lighting. Full, bright sunshine is harsher than the softer light on a cloudy day. Clouds tend to spread the light-make it broader-whereas full sun without obstruction is relatively direct.

What Is The Gray Zone?

Before discussing how to create soft lighting in your studio, let’s mention another aspect of lighting effects. The term “gray zone” refers to the area between full light and full shadow. Using a hand held light source like a lamp, spotlight or flashlight, point the beam on your backdrop. You will notice that the light gradually fades into shadows. The area between the full light and the shadows is called the gray zone. You can see the band widen and become narrow by moving the light source closer to the photographic backdrop and then further away. The wider this area is, the softer the overall lighting is. When setting up your light sources, check the gray zone to determine if your light is soft enough for portrait applications.

Photo : Gilbert Rossi

Creating Soft Lighting For Portraiture

One way to get a softer light is to move the photographic light source closer to your subject. Another way to expand the light is to bounce your light off an umbrella. The reflection expands the targeted light to the full width of the photographic umbrella. You will often see this technique used in the quick studio settings in local department stores and temporary setups for the holidays.

Professional photographers use other equipment, such as reflectors, reflective photographic backgrounds and diffusers to produce the same effects in their studios and on location. Bouncing light off a wall instead of an umbrella can have the same softening effects.

Exceptional portraits are within your reach. Stock your studio with enough seamless background options and light sources to allow you to accommodate a variety of customers. Utilize the basics of creating soft lighting to flatter your clients. The results are sure to please.

Studio Lighting For Head Shots – Tutorial

This studio lighting tutorial will cover topics of  key light, light placement, background and fill light, and camera placement  to give your client the best look. A client getting a head shot wants the focus on the face, not a fancy photographic backdrop. This tutorial is demonstrating the use of light.

When developing backgrounds for photography, a black or a dark gray seamless paper works. Key photographic lighting works particularly well if used with a jumbo umbrella. This spreads the light, reflected at a 45 degree angle helping you create a flawless image for your client. Photographic backdrops are used to fit the job; with head shots shorter seamless ones are used.

Photo : Gilbert Rossi

Anyone  trying to make their way in the entertainment world has or needs a head shot in their portfolio. Learning to do head shot photography is an important piece of photography and the backgrounds for photography must be chosen carefully.

Developing a great head shot for a customer is an excellent way of making money and getting your photography known. People from many professions require good head shots. If you have the ability to create a photographic image that makes them look great you will be their best friend. Good photographers are represented by their work.

The setting of a key light places light on the hair area particularly dark hair. Since dark topics soak light the added light on the hair is important. Lighting must be placed correctly in order to get the best image possible. Place the photographic  lighting significantly to the later part of the forehead. Set the light to touch the head midpoint reflecting toward the back. The positioning of the light must be just right. Too much push forward the nose shines and the eyes go dark; three feet of height above image works great at a setting of an  f/4.5 or f/5.6.

Place background light as near to the photographic backdrops as possible, and remember to aim the light at a slight angle; almost pointing straight. My seamless background glow is geared to 1 stop under the key light, this gives the subject distinction.