Help with lighting for digital photo portraits

BC

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Dec 31, 2003, 10:48:12 PM12/31/03

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I have a pair of professional photofloods that my father left me and
I'm looking for some guidance with setting them up for portraits. I
know that they should be spaced on either side of my subject, bu tI
don't know how to balance them . . . seems like I remember from a
photojournalism class I took MANY years ago that one shoulld be
approximately twice the distance from the subject as the other, but I
don't really remember the formula. And now I'm using digital instead
of film.

Anyone know of any sites I can visit for a little guidance with
lighting?

TIA

Carl Miller

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Dec 31, 2003, 11:43:37 PM12/31/03

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www.lightingmagic.com

Most of his photos in the photo galleries have "lighting diagrams" that
show how they were lit. Spending the money on his Studio Lighting book
is also not a bad idea. But there is a ton of free info to be had from
his website.

--
Carl Miller
cmi...@trellis.net
---------
Using: OUI 1.9.2 Pro from http://www.ouisoft.com

Vernon Petty

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Jan 1, 2004, 3:54:49 AM1/1/04

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Try this site it has been helpfull to me in the past.
http://www.vividlight.com/articles/412a.htm

Randall Ainsworth

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Jan 1, 2004, 1:17:48 PM1/1/04

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The main light should be one stop brighter than the fill for the most
part, and they should both be on the same side of the subject. But
there is so much more...

BC

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Jan 1, 2004, 5:28:45 PM1/1/04

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THANK YOU. This is exactly what I was looking for.

On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 22:43:37 -0600, cmi...@trellis.net (Carl Miller)
wrote:

BC

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Jan 1, 2004, 5:29:37 PM1/1/04

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Thank you.

zeitgeist

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Jan 2, 2004, 2:21:56 AM1/2/04

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your library will probably have a few good books on the subject, whether
pixels or grain, lighting still works the same.

KBob

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Feb 4, 2004, 9:16:38 PM2/4/04

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That's right, but there's so much more. And there are no hard and
fast rules, either. Fortunately there are lots of great books and
websites that have lighting diagrams to help in arranging lamps.

Actually hot lamps are great for digital photography, since you don't
have the critical color demands of color film to deal with (and that
usually means using flash). The most impressive glamour portraits of
all time were done by the great Hollywood photographers that used
hotlights exclusively, and with large format cameras. They'd use
upwards of five lights, and the settings and exposures were very
deliberate. I found a really interesting view on this type of
photography from buying the videotape "Hollywood Style" by Alexander
and also Hurrell's "Hollywood Portraits." These studies of classic
hollywood photography will really be an inspiration to achieve a
glamorous quality in your portraiture. Interestingly these were
almost entirely lit by fresnel spotlights, not big softboxes or
diffused light sources.

Randall Ainsworth

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Feb 5, 2004, 12:22:32 AM2/5/04

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> Actually hot lamps are great for digital photography, since you don't
> have the critical color demands of color film to deal with (and that
> usually means using flash). The most impressive glamour portraits of
> all time were done by the great Hollywood photographers that used
> hotlights exclusively, and with large format cameras. They'd use
> upwards of five lights, and the settings and exposures were very
> deliberate. I found a really interesting view on this type of
> photography from buying the videotape "Hollywood Style" by Alexander
> and also Hurrell's "Hollywood Portraits." These studies of classic
> hollywood photography will really be an inspiration to achieve a
> glamorous quality in your portraiture. Interestingly these were
> almost entirely lit by fresnel spotlights, not big softboxes or
> diffused light sources.

Average people off the street can't handle that type of lighting.
You've gotta deal with zits and wrinkles and everything. Plus, the
style looks out of date.

KBob

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Feb 5, 2004, 12:58:37 AM2/5/04

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Yes, it looks out of date, that's true. Damn it, I love it so...

zeitgeist

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Feb 6, 2004, 2:49:02 AM2/6/04

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I found a really interesting view on this type of
> > photography from buying the videotape "Hollywood Style" by Alexander
> > and also Hurrell's "Hollywood Portraits."
>

> Average people off the street can't handle that type of lighting.
> You've gotta deal with zits and wrinkles and everything. Plus, the
> style looks out of date.

I understand what you are saying but consider,

A. they had to deal with zits and wrinkles back then, perhaps even more so
since they didn't have anti-zit drugs, botox, nor even face lifts. But
with 8x10, even 11x14 cameras and negs almost as dense as a sheet of metal
it was easy to retouch with a soft lead pencil, literally.

B. Out of style? what ever is out comes roaring back, you ain't gonna get
Hurrell in a shopping mall, with your average portrait hack shooting with
twin umbrellas giving puffy faces, other photogs doing the big soft light,
going to someone who can sculpt an image with light will offer a unique
image to those who appreciate and can afford to indulge.

This reply is echoed to the z-prophoto at yahoogroups.com