For me, the main light normally ends up with the bottom of the light mod-
ifier at about the shoulder height of the subject. The angle is between 60 to 70
degrees from the angle of the camera. (Note:Obviously, here we are talking
about a standard lighting setup for a more traditional lighting style—at least
traditional for me.)
Size of the Light.The light modifier for this style of lighting is a softer light
source—like a soft box, octobox, umbrella, or light bounced off a white wall or
piece of foam core—of a smaller to medium size. This is because a head and
shoulders portrait will have the light placed about four to five feet from the
subject. You can use a larger light source, but you will find that you have less
control of the light; it will literally flood your camera room and every area of the
subject. With a smaller light source, you can put the light only where you want
it. In corrective lighting, designed to minimize the appearance of facial or fig-
ure problems, I use a very small light box with grids or louvers to have the ul-
timate control over light placement.
Light Modifiers.Learn to work with the light modifiers you have—and
don’t think you have to buy a certain light attachment because someone else
uses it. Many young photographers make the mistake of thinking that small dif-
ferences in the shape or interior fabric (white, silver, soft-silver etc.) of a mod-
ifier make a big difference in the final outcome of the image. I am here to tell
you: they don’t.
If you have a smaller light box that has highly reflective silver fabric inside and
thin diffusers for the front of the box, the modifier will provide slightly higher
contrast lighting, which I find a plus when shooting digital. However, if you
want to soften the light from this modifier, you can add the inner diffuser
(which most light boxes come with) to soften the light.
Feathering the Light.You can also soften the light by feathering it, which
simply means directing the center (brightest part) of the beam slightly in front
of the subject and using just the softer light from the edge of the beam to ac-
Feathering the Light.
Youmustlearn to feather light effectively if you are to work with reflectors
outdoors. If you reflect raw sunlight into your subject’s face, they get an “insta-
tan” and burned retinas. However, if you direct the main beam of light slightly
in front of or above the subject (this will depend on the angle you are reflect-
ing the light from) you will dramatically soften the light and make it usable for
a main-light source. Again, a quality portrait has more to do with your knowl-
edge than your tools.
Test Your Lighting Tools.
You must understand the characteristics of the light produced by the equip-
ment you have, rather than hoping there is some kind of magic inside of a new
light modifier that will produce the perfect results.
44 JEFF SMITH’S GUIDE TO HEAD AND SHOULDERS PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHYFACING PAGE—Large light sources can cre-
ate soft, almost shadowless lighting.Don’t think you have to
buy a certain light
attachment because
someone else uses it.