Lighting Techniques for Photographing Model Portfolios: Strategies for Digital Photographers

exposed the model correctly (i.e.,to my taste). For image7-9, I shot at^1 / 30

second at f/8. Notice how the model’s skin tone is virtually the same in the

previous shot, but there’s a big difference is how much ambient light was al-

lowed to spill into the room. Which is best? It all comes down to personal

preference.

Look Around!.

Image7-10is one of those impromptu “Wow—did that really happen?”

shots. I was working on the series of images discussed in the previous section

(demonstrating how to make various lighting changes in the background

while leaving the model correctly exposed).

Then, as we were finishing up the photo series and breaking everything

down, beautiful light came streaming in the window on the second level of

the home and hit the chandelier. The light cast by the chandelier had such a

beautiful effect that I grabbed the model, had her throw on the coat and run

upthe stairs.Iliterally swungthe camera aroundonthetripodandgotacou-

ple of photographs before the light went away.

Sometimes being aware of the changing light, and its beauty, can produce

better results than hours of planning. As photographers, we have only light

with which to record our subjects. We must be able to use it—wherever and

whenever we find it.

Create a Storyboard.

Asacreativeexerciseforbothyouandthemodel,trycreatingaphotographic

storyboard. This gives you a chance to work with lighting subjects in motion

and can create a series of images for the model to use in promoting her act-

ing ability.

To begin, I did a series of test shots to determine the best direction for the

shoot. These are seen in images7-11through7-13(next page). In these im-

ages, I created front lighting using flash. To light up the hall, I added a small

WestcottsoftboxonaWestcottSpiderlitewithtungstenlampsinthefardoor-

way. I set my shutter speed for the exposure in the hallway and my aperture

for the flash on the subject. I started with my camera’s white balance set for

daylight, as seen in image7-11. For the next shot, image7-12, the lighting

setup was the same as above, but I set the camera to black & white.

For the third shot, image7-13, I set the white balance to tungsten, mak-

ing the background render more neutrally than in the first image (where it is

very warm and golden from the tungsten light) and rendering an interesting

blue cast on the model’s skin tones (remember, she is lit with daylight-

balanced flash). After these initial test shots, I chose to do the series in black

& white because it was more dramatic. It also eliminated many colors that

seemed to conflict with the model’s skin.

CREATIVE TECHNIQUES 107

7-10(facingpage).Keep your eyes open
for great lighting all around you!

sunlight camera on tripod with ball head

chandelierapproximately

4 feet abovethe model

To begin, I did a series

of test shots to

determine the best

direction for the shoot.