Types of lights.
The three basic voice for studio lightings are hot light, cool lights and flash ;flash being something that we all use regularly without even thinking.
What is hot light, cool light and flash.
Hot light
Hot light is a very warm light which is very hot often around 500-800 watts and stays on for a long period of time, to use this you need to insure your camera's setting has a high ISO and low shutter speed. This will cast a 'orange/red' light on the object/person.
Cool light
Cool light are more or less the same colour as daylight thus can be used when there is daylight in the room. As they do not have much power you will have to use a much higher ISO and still a low shutter speed.
Flash
A flash is a device used in photographyproducing a flash of artificial light (typically 1/1000 to 1/200 of a second) at a color temperature of about 5500 K to help illuminate a scene. A major purpose of a flash is to illuminate a dark scene.
Hot light is a very warm light which is very hot often around 500-800 watts and stays on for a long period of time, to use this you need to insure your camera's setting has a high ISO and low shutter speed. This will cast a 'orange/red' light on the object/person.
Cool light
Cool light are more or less the same colour as daylight thus can be used when there is daylight in the room. As they do not have much power you will have to use a much higher ISO and still a low shutter speed.
Flash
A flash is a device used in photographyproducing a flash of artificial light (typically 1/1000 to 1/200 of a second) at a color temperature of about 5500 K to help illuminate a scene. A major purpose of a flash is to illuminate a dark scene.
Studio lighting techniques
Umbrella
The umbrella diffuses light, to enable you to achieve a softer lighting in your images. So instead of letting light directly focus on the subject, the umbrella bounces off the light in different directions. The result is a clearer image with softer shadows or no shadows at all. There are two different coloured umbrellas each adding different affects on the image/person. A white umbrella is best used indoors, is often used to achieve a softer glow. The other coloured umbrella, which is black/silver this directs the silver light on to the object to brighten the subject. However for a much brighter picture use both the combination of coloured umbrellas which also eliminates shadows making the image 'glow'.
The umbrella diffuses light, to enable you to achieve a softer lighting in your images. So instead of letting light directly focus on the subject, the umbrella bounces off the light in different directions. The result is a clearer image with softer shadows or no shadows at all. There are two different coloured umbrellas each adding different affects on the image/person. A white umbrella is best used indoors, is often used to achieve a softer glow. The other coloured umbrella, which is black/silver this directs the silver light on to the object to brighten the subject. However for a much brighter picture use both the combination of coloured umbrellas which also eliminates shadows making the image 'glow'.
Soft box
Soft boxes work by confining the light from a lamp into a closed chamber and releasing it through at least one layer of diffusion material. As the light passes through the translucent fabric it scatters, producing a very even and soft result. Some harsh light could make the picture appear to be much harsher where as soft boxesare perfect for fill light because they don’t cast harsh shadows.
Soft boxes work by confining the light from a lamp into a closed chamber and releasing it through at least one layer of diffusion material. As the light passes through the translucent fabric it scatters, producing a very even and soft result. Some harsh light could make the picture appear to be much harsher where as soft boxesare perfect for fill light because they don’t cast harsh shadows.
Honeycomb
A honeycomb is used in photography to narrow the beam of light to a circle with soft edges. This happens as the small reporter flash which has a rectangular shape over it, produces a "soft" circle of light. They’re ideally suited for use as backlights or for isolating a particular part of an image.
Reflectors
A simple reflector can be really useful in a studio lighting setup, especially if you’re only using one light. You use it the same way you would with natural light – to bounce light back onto your subject and fill in any hard shadow areas. There are various colours of reflectors which cast different effects on the subjects face. For example a white reflector will casts a very soft, clean light at the model and is useful in studio where flash is used. The metallic gold material casts a very strong warm light onto the subject. The black reflector is often used when you want to show the illusion of shadows on the subject/models face.
A honeycomb is used in photography to narrow the beam of light to a circle with soft edges. This happens as the small reporter flash which has a rectangular shape over it, produces a "soft" circle of light. They’re ideally suited for use as backlights or for isolating a particular part of an image.
Reflectors
A simple reflector can be really useful in a studio lighting setup, especially if you’re only using one light. You use it the same way you would with natural light – to bounce light back onto your subject and fill in any hard shadow areas. There are various colours of reflectors which cast different effects on the subjects face. For example a white reflector will casts a very soft, clean light at the model and is useful in studio where flash is used. The metallic gold material casts a very strong warm light onto the subject. The black reflector is often used when you want to show the illusion of shadows on the subject/models face.
Shadows
The length and hardness of a shadow is determined by the power of the light source, the distance to the subject and the type of light: direct or indirect.
This example shows the girl lighted directly with just one studio flash called 'the main light' casting
a long and sharp shadows. It is the shadows that shape the light, that draw attention to the light, and that integrate with the light to produce striking photographic opportunities. |
This example is lighted with a flash, each using a soft box diffuser. Not only is the subject lighted more evenly, it lightens up the shadows more and makes it more soft.
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