What's your technique?

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Mirus Lux

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So, I have been thinking about portrait lighting a lot recently and I am working towards a 3 studio light set up alongside my 2 off camera flashes.

Obviously more light gives you more options but I wondered if people have a "safe" technique that whatever happens they can rely on whether it is 1,2 or more lights and be it in studio or out on location.

For me it tends to be softbox on camera right angled down just a simple one light job, anyone else care to share?

Also when shooting portraits do you start off with 1 light and build up or just go in all guns blazing?
 
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It's a difficult one to answer really as you only add lights to achieve the required results. Key light, fill, hair etc.
The easy one to answer however is yes add each light sequentially and meter accordingly. Once you start adding more lights in one jump it can all get a bit confusing as to which light is contributing what and to what degree.
 
Maybe it's relevant, maybe not, but personally I do what I can now-a-days to prevent myself from falling into the "safe set up". Safe set ups are fine when speed is an issue, or consistency is critical. I did too much of it when I was shooting family portraits and it killed me creatively.

As far as how I do things in order, it's definately start with one light and build. I rarely use fill, I rarely use hairlights, I prefer hard sources placed precisely, usually no more than 3 including a background light.

The best advice to offer with lighting I think is experiment. See what you like, develop your own lighting style and taste, anybody can charm a smile and shoot with a huge softbox. Having said that, Annie L shoots with a big ass softlighter II, and Rankin tends to use a single standard reflector, they're both amazing.
 
What Danny said.

However, it's generally true that you can recognise somebody's pictures by their lighting. As much as you steer away from repetition you tend to develop a style.
 
What the others have said.

Substitute the word 'boring' for safe and you can work to a formulae, and can produce piccies that nobody will want to look at.

In my experience most beginners start life believing that 'soft' = 'good' but as they progress (although some never do) the lighting becomes progressively harder, simpler and arguably better - but harder lighting also becomes more subject-dependent and position dependent, so becomes even less capable of being used to a forumulae.
 
Some good input here - thanks. I always figured the likes of Rankin would work with huge lighting setups (and I am sure he probably does on occasion) but interesting about his standard reflector. I guess this is all about knowing your kit and fulfilling its potential as much as it is technique!

I understand that safe/boring kind of crosses over and Garry, I think you make a valid point. Danny I think you are right about developing your style/experimentation it is something I often ponder about (who do people discover their style) and I guess it is all about trying new things until you are happy with something. Then, Like Jonathon says it becomes your style.
 
My answer is simple it depends on who, what, when, where and why.

eg if I'm doing some shots for a hair salon, you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be using a hair light, if I'm photographing someone like myself with little hair, I'll be skipping on hair lights.

Hope that helps and gets you thinking
 
bryan elliott said:
My answer is simple it depends on who, what, when, where and why.

eg if I'm doing some shots for a hair salon, you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be using a hair light, if I'm photographing someone like myself with little hair, I'll be skipping on hair lights.

Hope that helps and gets you thinking
Click to expand...

I know its quite individual dependant on the scenario - it helps and I'm always thinking!
 
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