SL

1. Using artificial light to your advantage
Studio and Location Lighting

2. “Light can be hard, soft, wrapping, harsh, slashing, sumptuous, glowing, etherial, muddy,
muted, brash, poppy, brassy, contrasty, clean, open. It’s a little nuts.” - Joe McNally

3. Text
Quality light is seldom available - fact.
Studio and location lighting allow photographers to add quality light
where there may not be good light.

4. Flashes
We’ll discuss two types:
1. On-camera flash
- Built-in flash and external flashes
2. Off-camera flash
- Studio flashes or strobes

5. Beginners light kit
• Hot-shoe mount for external flash
• Cable attaches camera to flash
• Built into most professional cameras
Sync Terminal Adapter (Hot Shoe to PC)

6. Studio Accessories
• Sync Cable and Hot Shoe - connects strobe to camera

7. Advanced light kit
• Pocket Wizard allows for remote firing of
flash (no cables needed!)
Pocket Wizard Plus III

8. Beginners light kit
• Umbrellas help soften light and
decrease shadows
• Shoot through or bounce off of

9. Beginners light kit

10. Beginners light kit

11. Direction of Light
Front lighting - less shadows, snapshot feel

12. Direction of Light
High 45 degree lighting - Rembrandt lighting, more texture and depth

13. Direction of Light
Side lighting - Harsh 90 degree angle,
dramatic and high contrast
Top lighting - Directly overhead, long
shadows, not flattering but interesting

14. Direction of Light
Back lighting - Also edge or rim light,
shows smoke well
Bottom lighting - Light from below looks
unnatural, works for some products

15. The Point and Shoot effect

16. Hot Shoe External Flashes
- Mounts on or off camera
- Easily rotates for directional control
- Adjustable power (amount of light)

17. Direct vs. Bounce Flash

18. Direct Flash Direct off-camera Flash

19. Above Bounce Flash Side Wall Bounce Flash

21. Direct vs. Bounce Flash

22. Direct vs. Bounce Flash

23. D.I.Y. Flash Diffusers
• Use index cards, printer paper, or old film canisters to help
soften and diffuse direct flash

24. Two important concepts for flash:
1. Inverse Square Law
2. Sync Speed

25. 1. Inverse Square Law
• Light spreads and diminishes as it travels from flash to subject
According to the law, the power of the light will be inversely proportional to the
square of the distance. So if we take a distance of 2 and square it, we get 4, the
inverse of which would be 1/4 or rather, a quarter of the original power – not half.
Remember that each one is simply the distance squared, over 1.

26. 1. Inverse Square Law

27. 2. Sync Speed
• 1/250 is the max shutter speed most cameras can use with flash
• Any faster and the shutter curtain will be visible in your frame

28. - Flash helps freeze action

29. Underexposing with Flash
• Use ambient light to your
advantage
• Underexpose then add
flash for a dramatic look

30. Underexposing with Flash
1/160th @ f/5
200 ISO
1/160th @ f/11
200 ISO

31. Underexposing with Flash
1/160th @ f/11
200 ISO

33. Ambient light is always taken into consideration when using flash

35. Ring Flash
• Circular light fills shadows

36. Studio Lighting
• Great for head
shots and
portraits
• Allows for full
control of lighting
situation

37. Strobes • Alien Bee’s - Mono-lights

38. Studio Accessories
• Soft Boxes

39. Studio Accessories
• Snoot/Barn Doors - help direct or intensify light

40. Lighting Diagrams

42. The Hair Light
• Most common use of
multiple lights
• Helps separate from
the background
• Gives subject a warm
glow
• Mostly used in
combination with a
soft box

48. See you Wednesday for picture day!!