Use three-point lighting to add dimension to your photos.
In filmmaking and photography, three-point lighting is a basic technique for achieving dimension when there is one subject in a shot. This technique can be adjusted to light more than one subject, but the following steps will detail set up a dynamic lighting situation for a one-person portrait or single-subject scene.
Instructions
1. Set up your brightest light, or key light, a few steps behind the camera to keep it out of frame. Place the camera at a 45-degree angle in relation to the subject. Direct light on the subject, so as to create a highlight on the side of the subject closest to the light, and a shadow on the half of the subject farthest away from this light source.
2. Set up your fill light on the opposite side of the camera. The fill light should be softer than the key light. If this light has the same brightness as your key, place this second light a few steps farther back than the key light, at about a 50-60 degree angle in relation to the subject. Use one or two clothes pins to attach the camera umbrella or soft box to your fill light. If you are using a camera umbrella, turn it away from the subject, so that the light is caught by the underside of the umbrella and cast back onto your setting. If neither a camera umbrella nor soft box are available, direct the light toward the ceiling to create a "flood" of light, and prevent harsh shadows from falling on your scene.
3. Place your final light, or back light behind your subject at a 35-40 degree angle, out of frame to add dimension to your shot. To achieve a stark contrast between the setting and the subject, use two clothes pins to attach a light shade, using the windows to direct, or shape, the light and intensify the shadows that will be created. To achieve a softer contrast, or less glowing effect, use two clothes pins to attach another umbrella or soft box to the back light. A softer contrast will create greater context for the subject in relation to setting, particularly if you are lighting a film scene. If the setting is less important than the subject, aim for a harsher back light without an umbrella or soft box.
4. Set your camera's zebra functionality to, roughly 70% if it is available. This setting will allow you to find areas within your scene that may be overexposed in the final print. Black diagonal lines, or stripes, will appear in any areas that are too bright. If stripes appear on natural highlights (such as a subject's forehead, cheeks, bridge of nose, shoulders, etc.), readjusting lights, likely, isn't necessary. If zebra stripes appear in great proportion in areas other than the aforementioned, you may attempt to raise the aperture on the camera before readjusting your lights. When raising the aperture, do not attempt to eliminate all zebra stripes, or your final image may be too dark.
5. Mark the location of the camera and each light with an X, using the electrical tape in order to prevent time spent on re-lighting a subject or scene.
Tags: umbrella soft, back light, camera umbrella, clothes pins, clothes pins attach