video: episode 14, the classic three light portrait
June 9, 2008 – 12:01 amLast week we looked at creating portraits with just one light. This week’s video is a natural progression, building upon the foundation of one light portraits. Adding additional lights should serve a purpose and here they help add greater detail and dimension, as explained in the video. There’s also a web gallery of the still photos that helps show the progression.
The most obvious purpose of this video is to further explain portrait lighting. I hope, though, that the video also helps increase your awareness of how light affects a subject, whether you’re shooting with natural light or lighting you’ve created yourself. Once you understand the principles of lighting they can be applied to many different situations.
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As for equipment shown, the “flip reflector” (slang) I referred to is officially called the 42″ (107cm) Translucent White ZipDisc with Cover. And once again, the lighting was built around the Genesis 200 1-Light Kit
, only this time multiplied.
And it’s hard for me to believe, but I was just reminded that this is the 15th original video posted here on prophotolife.com. Even though we’re talking about using three lights today the exact same principles apply as in the very first stick-in-a-can video…light is light, no matter where it comes from. All of the videos (from day one) are easily referenced in the video library, so if there’s something here on the site that can help a fellow photographer, I hope you won’t hesitate to let them know about prophotolife.com.
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13 Responses to “video: episode 14, the classic three light portrait”
Thank you again for your videos! I really like your style of transfering knowledge and how you present everything step by step so that I can see what each light does.
Greets,
Martin
By Martin from Hamburg on Jun 9, 2008
Nice, love the red triangle from my last suggestion
Really informative video and once I can cough up money for additional flashes I am looking forward to try this out!
By Dennis on Jun 9, 2008
On the web site Digital Photography School, there is a page called “4 Quick Tips for Portraits”. (http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/4-quick-tips-for-portraits/)
One of the tips, is to shoot from slightly below the subjects eyeline. In your video, it appears that you have the camera slightly above. Is this an optical illusion, or is this a conscience choice?
By Danny on Jun 9, 2008
Thank you for another nice video. I appreciate the methodology of starting simple and getting more complex. Other web-videos seem to jump right into the middle of things with a certain about of implied pre-knowledge. I’ve seen the same kind of shots before in other videos, but this one helped to connect some of the missing dots for me. Keep up the good work, Jim.
By the way, what is that thing/boom that you have your camera mounted on? And how are you triggering the flashes?
By Craig Lee on Jun 9, 2008
Hi Danny, thanks for the link to the Digital Photography School tips, they’ve been providing great instruction for a really long time and have a wealth of information. I urge readers to check them out if you haven’t already. And the work on your pbase account is beautiful! You’re an excellent product photographer…maybe we can get you to contribute something to prophotolife soon?
Posing and camera angle for portraits is a huge topic (and one I’m sure we’ll get into). The photographer featured in the Digital Photography School tips has a very distinctive style, a little bit wider lens used closeup in the photos shown. Shooting a little below the subject also works great for his creative, intimate style.
For the more classic style of head and shoulders studio portraiture I most often find myself shooting around eye level or slightly above. This works well with a variety of subjects, especially those who may have a weak or “double” chin, so they can lift their chin a bit to minimize this.
Conversely, a large forehead may be minimized by lowering the camera a bit. It’s always little tweaks that make the difference. For a standard head and shoulders portrait, starting around eye level seems a safe bet, then your personal style and the features of the particular person dictate where to go from there.
I’ll be totally honest: with this particular subject, because she has great features, I wasn’t overly critical with my camera positioning. I was concentrating more on illustrating the lighting, aware that there were no particular flaws that needed worked around. I just wanted to be really consistent as the lights were added so that would be illustrated properly. I hope this is a help!
By Jim Talkington on Jun 9, 2008
Dennis, the red triangle was a great suggestion, keep ‘em coming!
I wish I had a nickel for every time I use the phrase “connecting the dots”, Craig. I try very hard to do that so your comment means a lot. As for the big thing the camera is mounted on, that’s a big ol’ camera stand that is heavy and rock solid. It was probably more suited to view cameras and medium format, but it’s great for sturdiness, critical movements and sets that need to stay up for a long time.
If you don’t mind jumping over to the Video 13 comments, the trigger system is discussed there, about halfway down.
By Jim Talkington on Jun 9, 2008
Thanks, Jim. I thought that boom mount looked like something made for a view camera, but I had never seen one used with an SLR. It does look sturdy.
I missed the Video 13 comments about your triggering system. Thanks for the links. I’ve added Calumet to my bookmarks for “window shopping”.
By Craig Lee on Jun 9, 2008
Thanks again Jim for a new great video. Step-by-step you are creating too much competence for your studio HAHAHA
You are lucky I am living in Spain ;p
Anyway, I have translated video 14 for spanish audience.
Podeis ver el video en castellano en http://www.nova-foto.net/2008/06/10/prophotolife-com-video-14/
By Alfonso - Phosy on Jun 9, 2008
Very informative - I’ve been something of a lurker thus far, but I couldn’t help noticing the blown highlights on the forehead and cheeks of your subject in these sessions. Is that intentional or was this just a side effect of the lighting tutorial? In a perfect world, would you dial the lighting down a bit, or is your suggestion to include the shiny parts?
By Jason on Jun 9, 2008
Hi Jason, thanks for joining in the conversation and good observations on the makeup. “Shiny” and “glittery” seem to be in fashion for the younger set with makeup today so I let it go, thinking it wasn’t inappropriate. I don’t think I’d feel the same if the subject were older, though. The red curve is still within range, so the highlights could be pulled down, if desired.
By Jim Talkington on Jun 9, 2008
Hi Jim, I have following your videos since day #1 and really needed to say thank you. Your ability to take apart the subject and deliver it in bite sized chunks without fuss is a perfect way to bring studio photography to a wider audience. I do not think there is a better sequence on the net at the moment and very much look forward to further instalments.
By Michael on Jun 12, 2008
Another great video. I especially like being able to see the progression from one light and adding on the second and third light.
Thanks, and keep up the good work!
By Bo Boswell on Jun 12, 2008
I’ve always spent HOURS upon HOURS removing those pesky shadows, becoming way too familiar with Photoshop in the process. Yesterday, I reviewed your videos, bit the bullet and set everything up. This was a HUGE success and I would love to share, even though I have a ways to go. The only Photoshopping I needed to do was to remove the bruise on a forehead! Thanks for all of your hard work! I can tell you that I appreciate the time it takes on your part to share your knowledge in this way. It’s being put to good use!
By Patti Schneider on Jul 27, 2008