Digital Photographer - UK (2019-12)

Discover the function of different lights and how they can be used

Which light does what?

Before discussing lighting setups, it’s essential

to understand how flash can be used in a

portrait, and typical ways in which a subject is

illuminated using one or multiple flash units.

Once we understand that, the main light can

be used in these typical ‘styles’, with other

lights and modifiers used to enhance and alter

the overall look of the image.

Using flash or strobes in a studio can

be as simple as one light or as complex as

multi-light setups. This is determined by

the outcome, time and budget. By carefully

considering what you want to achieve from

the image, you can build up your lighting

setup, starting with one light. However, time

and cost can play a role – there may be no

time for complex setups, or you may not have

the budget or equipment available to you to

be able to do that.

I firmly believe that a beautiful portrait can

be created by only one or two lights, and that

it’s better to start simple and add lighting as

required, rather than try to put in multiple

lights just to look impressive.

Termed as a ‘key light’, this is the main light

and sometimes the only light in a studio setup.

It is usually the first and most important light.

This, like all the types of light used here, can be

modified to be hard or soft, close or far.

Typically the main light is positioned at the

height of or sometimes higher than the subject,

but it can be at the side, slightly below or

straight on to the subject too – the important

thing is that it is pointing at the subject, or

feathered off to create illumination on the face.

This is the light that is primarily altered to

create the varying lighting setups we will go

on to discuss. It is often combined with the

other types of light, but it is almost always

present as it provides the form and dimension

of the subject.

The key light

The fill light

The fill light is considered the secondary light, as

it is often added to help define shape and fill or

moderate the shadows created by the key light. It

is normally used at a weaker power, diffused and

positioned opposing the key light, or below where

the shadows have been created. It could also be

used where the key light hasn’t lit. The power of

the fill light is entirely dependent on the effect

that is required – how much the light should be

balanced or filled. The style of photography will also

influence this, for example fill lighting can be used

in Rembrandt lighting, but might be more subtle

than in clamshell to retain the dramatic styling.

Fill light can also be created by bouncing light

from the key light, using reflectors, polyboards

or any reflective surface. This helps to create

a more subtle fill, or free up a light for another

use. However, how much and the quality of the

reflection you get will depend on the modifier on

the key light. Honeycombs or grids restrict the

splay of light and may leave no light spill to reflect

from certain angles.

Fill light No fill light

TECHNIQUES

Discoverthefunctionofdifferentlightsandhowtheycanbeused

Which light does what?

Beforediscussinglightingsetups,it’sessential

tounderstandhowflashcanbeusedina

portrait,andtypicalwaysinwhichasubjectis

illuminatedusingoneormultipleflashunits.

Onceweunderstandthat,themainlightcan

beusedinthesetypical‘styles’,withother

lightsandmodifiersusedtoenhanceandalter

theoveralllookoftheimage.

Usingflashorstrobesinastudiocan

beassimpleasonelightorascomplexas

multi-lightsetups.Thisisdeterminedby

theoutcome,timeandbudget.Bycarefully

consideringwhatyouwanttoachievefrom

theimage,youcanbuildupyourlighting

setup,startingwithonelight.However,time

andcostcanplayarole–theremaybeno

timeforcomplexsetups,oryou may not have

thebudgetorequipmentavailable to you to

beabletodothat.

Ifirmlybelievethatabeautiful portrait can

becreatedbyonlyoneortwolights, and that

it’sbettertostartsimpleandadd lighting as

required,ratherthantrytoputin multiple

lightsjusttolookimpressive.

Termedasa‘keylight’,thisisthemainlight

andsometimestheonlylightinastudiosetup.

Itisusuallythefirstandmostimportantlight.

This,likeallthetypesoflightusedhere,canbe

modifiedtobehardorsoft,closeorfar.

Typicallythemainlightispositionedatthe

heightoforsometimeshigherthanthesubject,

butitcanbeattheside,slightlybelowor

straightontothesubjecttoo–theimportant

thingisthatitispointingatthesubject,or

featheredofftocreateilluminationontheface.

Thisisthelightthatisprimarilyalteredto

createthevaryinglightingsetupswewillgo

ontodiscuss.Itisoftencombinedwiththe

othertypesoflight,butitisalmostalways

presentasitprovidestheformanddimension

ofthesubject.

Thekey light

Thefilllight

Thefilllightisconsideredthesecondarylight,as

itisoftenaddedtohelpdefineshapeandfillor

moderatetheshadowscreatedbythekeylight.It

isnormallyusedataweakerpower,diffusedand

positionedopposingthekeylight,orbelowwhere

theshadowshavebeencreated.Itcouldalsobe

usedwherethekeylighthasn’tlit.Thepowerof

thefilllightisentirelydependentontheeffect

thatisrequired–howmuchthelightshouldbe

balancedorfilled.Thestyleofphotographywillalso

influencethis,forexamplefilllightingcanbeused

inRembrandtlighting,butmightbemoresubtle

thaninclamshelltoretainthedramaticstyling.

Filllightcanalsobecreatedbybouncinglight

fromthekeylight,usingreflectors,polyboards

oranyreflectivesurface.Thishelpstocreate

amoresubtlefill,orfreeupalightforanother

use.However,howmuchandthequalityofthe

reflectionyougetwilldependonthemodifieron

thekeylight.Honeycombsorgridsrestrictthe

splayoflightandmayleavenolightspilltoreflect

fromcertainangles.

Filllight No fill light

TECHNIQUES