Posing for Portrait Photography

Consistency.Consistency is another consideration when look-
ing at the correlation between lighting and posing. We use a 42-inch
light box for our head-and-shoulders shooting areas, a 52-inch box
where we take most of our three-quarter-length poses, and a 72-
inch Starfish (or 7-foot Octabox) for the areas where we take our
full-length poses. The 72-inch box is used for small sets and scenes,
while the 7-foot Octabox is used for the more elaborate sets.
Hardness or Softness of the Source.I realize that this is basic
lighting theory, but the two factors that determine how soft or hard
a light is (and therefore the posing that can be used) are the size of
the light source and the distance between the light source and the
subject. The reason we use smaller boxes in the head-and-shoulders
areas and huge boxes in the full-length areas of the studio is that
they are proportionately the same size when you consider the dis-
tance between the light sources and the subject.
Just to make sure we’re all on the same page before we proceed,
I’ll explain—I don’t want anyone to be confused. A 40-inch box
that is placed four feet away from the subject will give you approxi-
mately the same quality of light (contrast, size of catchlights in the
eyes, density of shadow, etc.) as a 72-inch soft box placed six to
seven feet away from the subject or a 7-foot box at eight to nine feet

36 POSING FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

For more of a glamour/fashion look, I like

to have a light come from underneath the

subject.

Consistency is another

consideration when looking

at the correlation between

lighting and posing.