Chapter 4

In the Studio

T

hestudioenvironmentiswherethephotographerwill
havethegreatestamountofcontroloverthelightingof
thesubject,withallfactorsbeingeasilymanagedtocreate
amyriadofeffects.Initiallyfairlydauntingandtechnically
challenging,thestudiocanresultinsomefabulousimages
oncetheequipmentand variouslightingtechniques have
been mastered.

Theprimarythingtoconsideristhatstudiolightingisalla
matterofusingratiosoflight,andoncethesearebalanced,
byfollowingafewsimplerules, thesameprinciples are
verymuchappliedthroughallthetechniquesandset-upsof
studio lighting. When working within the studio a
photographer’s aim is to utilize the lights and their
modifiers in ratio with each other to create a balanced
flatteringlightinwhichtotakeaportrait.Withthemost
importantfeaturesofthesitterbeingthemask(triangle)of
the face and the eyes, if all of these features are lit
sympatheticallythe resulting portrait will be successful.

Inthestudio environmenttherearea fewkey pieces of
equipment required to achieve these results, as outlined
below.