Digital Concepts PORTABLE LIGHT STUDIO PS-101 User Manual - Page 3

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SETTING UP YOUR LIGHTING STUDIO TO TAKE PHOTOS

There are many, many ways for a photographer to arrange lamps when taking photos. There are

numerous books on photography which discuss this topic in great detail. One of the basic

concepts of lighting techniques involves three point lighting.

Three-point lighting is a very common lighting technique used when taking photos with digital and

35mm film cameras. By using three separate light sources, the photographer can illuminate the

shot's subject however desired, while also controlling (or eliminating entirely) the shading and

shadows produced by direct lighting.

The key light, as the name suggests, shines directly upon the subject and serves as its principal

illuminator; more than anything else, the strength, color and angle of the key determines the

shot's overall lighting design.

In indoor shots, the key is commonly a specialized lamp, or a camera's flash. In outdoor daytime

shots, the Sun itself often serves as the key light. In this case, of course, the photographer cannot

set the light in the exact position he or she wants, so instead arranges the subjects to best

capture the sunlight, perhaps after waiting for the sun to position itself just right.

The fill light also shines on the subject, but from a side angle relative to the key. It balances the

key by illuminating shaded surfaces, and lessening or eliminating chiaroscuro* effects, such as

the shadow cast by a person's nose upon the rest of the face. It is usually softer and less bright

than the key light (up to half), and more to a flood. Not using a fill at all can result in stark

contrasts (due to shadows) across the subject's surface, depending upon the key light's

harshness. Sometimes, as in low-key lighting, this is a deliberate effect, but shots intended to

look more natural and less stylistic require a fill.

In some situations a photographer can use a reflector (such as the colored backgrounds of your

light box) as a fill light instead of an actual lamp. Reflecting and redirecting the key light's rays

back upon the subject from a different angle can cause a softer, subtler effect than using another

lamp.

The back light (a.k.a. the rim, hair or shoulder light') shines on the subject from behind, often (but

not necessarily) to one side or the other. It gives the subject a rim of light, serving to separate the

subject from the background and highlighting contours.

Back light or rim light is different from a kick in that a kick (or kicker) contributes to a portion of the

shading on the visible surface of the subject, while a rim light only creates a thin outline around

the subject without necessarily hitting the front (visible) surface of the subject at all.

*An element in art, chiaroscuro (Italian for lightdark) is defined as a bold contrast between light and dark. Chiaroscuro is

also used in cinematography to indicate extreme low-key lighting to create distinct areas of light and darkness in films,

especially in black and white films.

NOTES

1. Always store this unit in dry places.

2. To minimize shadows, point light down at your subject. This will cause shadows to fall

beneath rather than behind the subject.

3. For a softer effect, point the video light up, letting illumination bounce back into the

subject.