R
5. SUPPLEMENTARY LIGHTING..
Rim, Hair, and Accent Lighting.
Rim lighting of your subject is usually accomplished in one of two ways, either
through strip boxes or metal reflectors outfitted with grids. When metal grids
are used, I normally start with a 10 degree grid, then point the light onto the
subject’s area I want to outline with a highlighted edge. (Keep in mind that
the lights are behind and usually at an angle to the subject in this method.) If
I want to see more of the body outlined, I’ll switch out the 10-degree grid
with a 20- or 30-degree grid. Normally, to give the light some color, I will
place a^1 / 8 or^1 / 4 CTO over the reflector, allowing some looseness around the
gel so it can breathe and release some of the heat from the modeling lamp.
I will sometimes change the modeling lamp from full output to propor-
tional output so the light will not get as hot. While you’ll often hear that your
rim or hair light should be a stop or two brighter than your main light, you’ll
sometimes hear photographers advocate the opposite. The reason
why measuring rim lighting can be confusing is the physics rule,
“the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.”
Basically, the light intensity that will be captured by the camera
is based on the actual angle of incidence in relation to where the
camera is positioned, so it can fluctuate. Your best bet in using a rim
light, especially in digital photography, is to set it up, aim it to strike your sub-
ject where you want it, test it, and adjust it to your personal tastes. Just be sure
that you do not blow out this highlight you’ve introduced into the image.
When using rim light as a hair light, keep in mind that darker hair will ab-
sorb more light and lighter hair will reflect more light. Again, the final results
will vary depending on the exact angle of incidence. Normally, placing the112 LIGHTING FOR GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAPHYJust be sure that you do not
blow out this highlight you’ve
introduced into the image.