same set, different Lighting
Depending on concept, lighting can be the most important factor when taking a photograph, it can completely change the look, feeling and aesthetic of it. A few weeks ago I took this experimental editorial shoot at home with Carly Pfleger. As you can see down below, I have multiple sets of lighting, & my goal here is to be able to explain a little of each so you could recreate or just learn something new to improve your photography skills.
Direct Sunlight
Sunlight is my favorite kind to use while photographing, nothing compares to it. What I most love about it is not having control whatsoever, so i’m obligated to push myself and my brain to do my best & playing with the unexpectancy, I have masted it. I think the secret for a good natural lighting is understanding which way the sun is coming, time and pay attention on weather. This photograph was taken during golden hour, which is a very easy and smooth lighting, it’s perfect for portrait because there won’t be much shadows on the models face. You can get very sharp images because quality it’s completely connected to how much lighting you are allowing into your lenses.
Indirect Sunlight
This is a perfect example for indirect lighting. This photograph was taken right after the sunset, so the sky was still bright and I was able to capture this soft light that was coming from the open door. This is a very plain light, also very good for portraits because it’s also smooth, it gives me a very natural feeling, of harmony.
Warm vs Cold
This was also taken with indirect sunlight, however it was a little later in the day, plus I didn’t have as much lighting coming through the window. As I mentioned before the weather is very import when shooting with natural light: when it’s cold out, the atmosphere is more blue and when it’s warm, it’s more orange, understand that and start paying attention to it.
Artificial Light
This is a stand lamp I have it at home, its very bright and direct. I positioned it right in front of the subject, notice her shadow in the back, you can tell exactly where the lighting is coming from. Make sure to to tell your model to keep her nose towards the light so you can get a very sharp image with no shadows all over her face. Also notice the background is dark, because I recommend you turn all other lights off, so you have only one source.
If you have any questions about this, feel free to get in contact, I would love to help!