Mood

Light direction, quality, and color help shape the story and create the mood of your images. Having a solid understanding of the concept and mood of your shoot will help you make better decisions on which light modifiers to use. For example, if the concept calls for soft lighting, then you would know to consider a softbox and if it's hard lighting then maybe a beauty dish or reflector would be a better choice for the job.

Ambient Light

The proper balance of ambient and artificial light can make a beautiful portrait. When shooting on-location, it's essential to have a good balance between the two. Camera shutter speed controls ambient light, a slower speed allows for more ambient, and a faster speed deduces it. It primarily depends on the concept and mood you want to portray.

Lighting Style

Wheather you're using strobes to photograph people, products or places, there will always be a lighting style that is more flattering based on the characteristics of the subject. For example, broad lighting can be used to make narrow faces look fuller and short lighting is ideal for slimming the face out. Having a good understanding of the various lighting styles and knowing when to use them is vital to taking quality portraits. 

Fill Light

Fill light can be used to brighten up shadows and make an image more interesting. If the shadows are too dark, try adding white foam core or a soft modified light source to the shadow side of the face to brighten them up. A white/silver reflector or soft modified light can also add beautiful catchlights in your subject's eyes, making a more interesting photo.

Join us in our LIGHTING 101 class to learn more about these concepts.