artillusions wrote:
Nice image Krieves. Do you normally shoot 1 light?
I find that I want to add a hairlight here,a background there, then its just add a light everywhere! Haha
Everyone throw in an image lets see if it sticks! 1,2,3,5 lights who cares!?! Lets see em!
It depends on what I'm trying to achieve. Sometimes I use several lights and a variety of modifiers, and other times one light is all I need.
I agree. I'm just trying some new and different things. I'm so use to shooting main 3 to1 fill light, background spot light, hair light for hair and rim lighting, that everything started looking the same. So I'm trying different ideas and looking to see what everyone is doing to "break away" from classic portraiture. Not that anything is wrong w/ classic, just trying to do a little more in the way of model/senior work.
artillusions wrote:
I'm trying different ideas and looking to see what everyone is doing to "break away" from classic portraiture.
art,
One light portraiture IS "classic". Other set ups are built upon it. It's not so much about "breaking away" as just getting back to understanding basics.
They say there are 6 basic styles of portraiture, all of which can be accomplished with just one light. Whether you agree on the actual number or not, they have all been in existence for longer than we've been alive. Many photographers have refined them over the years, but none have actually produced a different, revolutionary or "break away" style during this time to my knowledge. "Break away" is really more about "personal" style than a difference in classical style, technique or set up. A great exercise if you have the time, is to take one model and one light and try to reproduce each of these classic styles for a different effect. Sometimes I do this when I get stuck in a rut and I'm looking for inspiration or a new perspective. Going through the classic styles often provides a new approach, which is often more of a breakthrough (or break away, as you put it) than a using a different modifier or adding or subtracting another light.
Bottom line: it's really not so much about the number of lights, or the set up, as it is about light control. An excellent example of light control is the ability to make a multiple light set up appear "as if" it was produced by a single natural light source. As far developing a "personal" style, it's also helpful to understand basic fundamental "classic" One Light styles first, because beyond one light, the others are really only there to augment our personal vision or interpretation of a "classic" style.
A while back, Simon said that he was not very good at "deconstructing" a lighting set up. (Don't believe him! ) His humility obviously comes from a deep personal awareness that "studio photographers" have many tools and techniques available to them to achieve the same goal or end result, and also that a "master studio photographer" knows how to expertly conceal them or at least not let them detract from the subject by bringing attention to them.
There is so much to learn and I'm right there with you art, but in the end it always seems to comes down to basics.
Thanks Carmen, I understand what you are saying. I'm not trying to start a new style or breakaway from the basics. I'm trying to see what everyone is doing now days. Back when I shot med. format a 3 light set-up was normally used. Now I see alot of people using just a few lights with reflectors, scrims and rip nylon. There is alot of new things going on I enjoy looking to see what ideas everyone has came up with. Now you have small soft boxes to large ones, strip lighting and continious lighting. There are thousands of different methods and equipment to produce all styles of portraiture. Just wanting to add some more "tools to the bag." Everyone jump in and SHOW EM'
I love Simon's simple one light work, but on the same token, I don't fear complexity either... I've seen so much terrific work that involved no less than 14-30 lights, though one might swear that the same might have been possible with far fewer.
A humble contribution of my own from a shoot last August.
artillusions wrote:
Hey Joe, Nice shots. On your white background paper, you had to use more than just your 1 light on it to light the paper. right?
Nope, that was when I only had 1 light so I couldn't. I used a 4 foot octo and pretty large reflector for fill. So much light scattered that the BG was pretty good (I had to brighten the right side a tad in PS).
Belinda Porter wrote:
I dont have a browse button on my quick reply box tab..
First, you have to sign up for Image Upload. Then, the Browse/upload function is still not available in the Quick Reply box. Only in "Reply" and "Quote".
Cropped tight to hide my turkey neck and lunar real estate forehead. I left the wrinkles and other debris the way it is.
one AlienBees beauty dish just under 2ft away from subject, above and slightly camera left. (I just wish I looked this good in reality..they don't call 'em beauty dishes for nothing)
Wow, this is awesome. I had a question. But then I started going through this thread. Now I totally forgot my question unless it was "how long did it take you to get to this point of producing such awesome shots?"
My turn to share. I took this one while on vacation in St. Croix. Set is one 580EX on a tripod to the camera left into an umbrella. Put the camera in timer mode and ran into the picture. This is my current favorite. Let me know what you all think!
Keep posting. 
I used a 4 foot octo and pretty large reflector for fill. So much light scattered that the BG was pretty good (I had to brighten the right side a tad in PS).
