Basic lighting kit for portraits

markjwyatt · Jun 12, 2023

This was taken in a typical portrait studio in the mid-1970s; My dad taught a summer course in photography I attended, and he got a local photographer to let us come in and use his studio one night.

portrait by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

Behind the green curtain:

studio by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

Main light, key light, background light(s), maybe a hair light (not in the picture)?

eli griggs · Jun 13, 2023

markjwyatt said:
This was taken in a typical portrait studio in the mid-1970s; My dad taught a summer course in photography I attended, and he got a local photographer to let us come in and use his studio one night.

portrait by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

Behind the green curtain:

studio by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

Main light, a key light, background light(s), maybe a hair light (not in the picture)?

It looks to be a two light set-up, the large main, with barn doors subduing the enthusiasm of that light source and, a floor, back ground light and a kicker panel to partly reflect some little amount back to the head, shoulders.

No other light is needed and the chiaroscuro on the sitters left arm does no have the thin, back edge white line, which might indicate a hair light was used from a high angle.

eli griggs · Jun 13, 2023

One thing I might have missed seeing, is the fact that, especially with a blacked out studio, even smallish GN numbered flash strobes (as compared to 'normal' high wattage studio light banks) can be fired repeatedly at full capacity to make a still life photograph, so long as you know and keep count on ALL firings.

Someone in a location, well away from anything that can disturbed the set, can help with flashes fired, as it's too easy to confuse your count, alone in the dark.

It also helps if the assistance knows the correct math to workout what's needed to get the shot and any bracketing in, of additional shots.

Cheers and, Godspeed.

RalphLambrecht · Jun 13, 2023

koraks said:
Don, what are you trying to accomplish here? My statement was simple: large formats such as 8x10 in my experience require more light to get the job done than smaller formats. I mentioned it because it is a relevant consideration for Markus to choose lighting equipment. Have you shot 8x10 and e.g. 35mm side by side in the same studio? Yes? Then you recognize what I'm saying. No? Then give it some thought, because I didn't just make stuff up.

when using flash, the shutterspeed is the flash duration and is mostly out of once control.

markjwyatt · Jun 13, 2023

eli griggs said:
It looks to be a two light set-up, the large main, with barn doors subduing the enthusiasm of that light source and, a floor, back ground light and a kicker panel to partly reflect some little amount back to the head, shoulders.

No other light is needed and the chiaroscuro on the sitters left arm does no have the thin, back edge white line, which might indicate a hair light was used from a high angle.

I see two catch lights in her eyes, so I suspect there was a key light also, just not shown. I remember stepping back and snapping the shot, but don't recall what the exact lighting set-up was.

eli griggs · Jun 13, 2023

markjwyatt said:
I see two catch lights in her eyes, so I suspect there was a key light also, just not shown. I remember stepping back and snapping the shot, but don't recall what the exact lighting set-up was.

Catch lights can be difficult to determine light sources, such as a light from a door or window or other studio activity.

In this case, I believe you are seeing both the main light and the slightly less intense exit/reflection that same light makes as it exits the eyes.

That said, you were there and have the photo to examine, so you may be correct.

Either way, this is a solid, basic lighting set-up that can serve the new portrait photographer well, as a starting point, IMO.

Pieter12 · Jun 13, 2023

RalphLambrecht said:
when using flash, the shutterspeed is the flash duration and is mostly out of once control.

Except when there is a lot of ambient light, such as fill outdoors.

markjwyatt · Jun 13, 2023

eli griggs said:
Catch lights can be difficult to determine light sources, such as a light from a door or window or other studio activity.

In this case, I believe you are seeing both the main light and the slightly less You intense exit/reflection that same light makes as it exits the eyes.

That said, you were there and have the photo to examine, so you may be correct.

Either way, this is a solid, basic lighting set-up that can serve the new portrait photographer well, as a starting point, IMO.

I was there, but that was 47 years ago! At this point you analysis is probably as good or better than my memory of the event.

Basic lighting kit for portraits

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