- 1). Position the lights around your subject. The easiest arrangement for the light stands is in a triangle. Both the key light and the fill light should be at 45-degree angles from the camera. This will create balanced lighting. The back light can be positioned either behind and out of the way of the frame or off to the side. The back light should bounce off the backdrop and illuminate the subject indirectly.
- 2). Angle the lights toward your reflectors. Although you are using artificial lights, you don't want it to look like it, and that means you have to cut back on the light strength. Bouncing the light off a reflector will help to create soft lighting.
- 3). Take time to balance the light. Don't rush through this process because the wrong technique leads to weak photos. The fill light should be about one or one-and-a-half stops lower than the key light. The back light should have a lower intensity. Put light filters over the lights to achieve the desired effect.
- 4). Use your light meter to determine the best shutter speed and aperture. You should not use the light meter on your camera, because it measures and averages out the light of the entire frame. A separate light meter will give you a more accurate reading of your subject. Taking a reading off a small spot can create some amazing effects.
- 5). Experiment. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to photography; all that really matters is if it looks good to the photographer. Try moving the light stands higher so the light falls on the subject instead of directly illuminating it. Another interesting experiment is to just use the key light. At a 45-degree angle this can produce some intense shadows and could create some interesting texture.
previous post
next post