Wane!

I am always pleased when I see photographers honing their portrait skills, especially in the area of classical portrait lighting and posing. Perhaps, nowadays it's becoming a lost art because many photographers find that some of the basic rules and guidelines and too complex, perhaps too “old school”, a bit creatively restrictive and a boring practice that is practiced by a bunch of old stodgy photographers. I feel this is an unfortunate misconception in that contemporary classic portrait photography can be dynamic, impressive, innovative and highly creative. .........................................

Good luck. Ed

Wane!

I am always pleased when I see photographers honing their portrait skills, especially in the area of classical portrait lighting and posing. Perhaps, nowadays it's becoming a lost art because many photographers find that some of the basic rules and guidelines and too complex, perhaps too “old school”, a bit creatively restrictive and a boring practice that is practiced by a bunch of old stodgy photographers. I feel this is an unfortunate misconception in that contemporary classic portrait photography can be dynamic, impressive, innovative and highly creative.



Yes, to start things off in learning this, there are definite rules, guidelines, technical and scientific formulas as well as rudimentary artistic principles that must be learned, studied, practiced and mastered. None of theses components are designed or intended to restrict anyone's creativity, flexibility or artistry, they are merely the basic tools to enable creativity and artistry. My favorite motto is “the rules are the tools”. A beginning photographer can have the most creative, innovative and even the most “out of the box” ideas in the world in his or her mind's eye but realizing theses images on a sheet of photographic paper or even on a computer monitor requires certain technical skills and standards as a basis. If you want to purposely and successfully break the rules, you have to understated them first. If you prefer the classical approaches, well- you need to know the basics all the more.

So...Using a mannequin head to learn the basics of portrait lighting is not a bad starting method but once you get the hang of it, it is bet to practice with live models, volunteers, family members or, whoever you can convince to help you. The hairdresser head that you are presently using has painted in catch-light in the eyes and the painted in eyes themselves, even with no simulated catch-lights, do not have enough reflectance to render real reflections from your lights. The reason I mention this is because one of the important indicators of good portrait lighting patterns is the position of theses reflections in the eyes.

Live subjects also help you deal with skin tones, textures, different facial structure and the principles of creating good likeness and flattering interpretations in your portraits.

The main or key light in a portrait lighting scheme is the most important light in the game because it's position as to angle (from the camera/subject axis), it's height and distance from the subject and the nature of its hardness or softness, determines all of the light and shadow relationships, the mood of the image, the key and the cosmetic and aesthetic aspects of any final portrait. That's why a simple one or two light system with the use of reflectors is a great way of learning to master your main light and coming up with great results as well. It's a what you see is what you get method.

There are lots of ways to skin a cat” but really- who wants to skin a cat? Well, perhaps one way of shooting portraits may be using a hair light as a main source and using a reflector as a main light, might work, in a manner of speaking, but in doing that you will limit the fine control you must have to use you main light precisely and attain the exact results you want. Any conventional portrait light source can be used as the main light; an electronic flash powered flood light
(a direct light in a standard reflector), a similar unit fitted with a so-called beauty dish, an umbrella or a softbox- even a spotlight for very dramatic effects!

The diagram I have attached represents the use of a medium sized (24”) softbox, and a reflector. If you want to add a hair light, that is a separate and subsidiary light that will be aimed specifically at the subjects hair. This light comes under the category of an accent light or “kicker” and that kinda light has special exposure issues to consider- more about that later.

The method in the diagram requires a technique called “feathering” that means using the edge of the light beam rather that the center pf it. This technique gives you better skin texture and specular highlights and in this case, allows some of the light to strike the reflector and be redirected at the subject for a very controllable fill light source. It's just a matter of rotating the light carefully toward the camera- check out the light direction arrows in the diagram.

Using an incident light flash meter is a good idea to determine you basic starting exposure for you main light and any subsequent fill lights you may eventually add to your system. But when it comes to those accent and kicker lights there is a problem that can fool you flash meter and “burn out highlight detail in the hair or the sides of the face when other kinds of kicker light are employed.

This has to do with the angle of incidence theory- something that you should look up, study, experiment with and master. The math of geometry is. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

For now, suffice it ti sat that any light that is striking the subject from more than 90 degrees to the camera/subject axis will appear brighter that any light striking the subject from less than 90 degrees even of both lights are of the same type, at the same power output and equidistant from the subject. So even if your meter tells you that your hair light is at the same exposure level and even significantly lower than your main light you may have to power it down more, pull it further away or diffuse it. That is why it needs to be an independently controllable light that is not used for illuminating a distant reflector.

As far as washing out the hair detail- sometimes I purposely do that to create a retro kind glamor lighting in the hair. Most of the time I keep it subtle, just enough to continue to glow of the main light into the hair and a bit more separation from the background!

Try this out on your “head” if you like and post the results- I think you're gonna like it!

Good luck. Ed