I'm working on lighting portraits. The last one I did and posted, I was reminded of the friendship of shadows. In this one I'm trying to achieve a simple loop light affect augmented by a hair light. C&C welcome.
I'm not sure what you mean by a loop light. I might know it by butterfly light. If that was your aim the shadow should be more directly under the nose. The lighting is not too bad on my monitor. The problem with a butterfly light is that it makes the face broad and is mostly used on women of slender build. A broader face woman would be angry with you. This light also makes him look femine with the main coming in over his shoulder. A more masculine light would come in from the other side and hit him in the chest. Also spread his arms out to give him more of a base. Hope that helps.
I'm not sure what you mean by a loop light. I might know it by butterfly light. If that was your aim the shadow should be more directly under the nose. The lighting is not too bad on my monitor. The problem with a butterfly light is that it makes the face broad and is mostly used on women of slender build. A broader face woman would be angry with you. This light also makes him look femine with the main coming in over his shoulder. A more masculine light would come in from the other side and hit him in the chest. Also spread his arms out to give him more of a base. Hope that helps.
Hi Hackbone,
Thank you for replying. My goal was actually not butterfly but what would amount to 1/3 of a butterfly (the wing) which is a small loop shadow from the nostril.
My understanding is there are 5 basic portrait lighting application types (butterfly, loop, rembrandt, split and rim).
- Butterfly lighting forms the shadow below the nose and looks like a butterfly
- Loop light is basically a small loop shadow that forms a loop from the nostril to the inside start of the cheek.
- Rembrandt is where the nose shadow and the opposing cheek shadow just start to combine.
- Split is where only half the face is in full light
- Rim lighting is really not to be used by itself but more of an accent from high/behind causing a rim of light around the head almost like a halo.
Your lighting is setup for loop lighting, but it's also setup for BROAD LIGHTING. In your shot, your face/nose is slightly turned camera right. (It could stand to be turned further, but not so much as to eliminate the ear, unless you have a reason to) From the camera's view, this puts the most visible side (BROAD SIDE) camera left. You've placed your key light also on that same BROAD side. Therefore, you are lighting the BROAD side with the key light. This means that you are using BROAD lighting.
Broad lighting for most faces does not give as much of a 3D effect & tends to make the face look rounder.
SHORT LIGHTING on the other hand, will give better modeling to the face and will have a slimming effect on it.
To SHORT light a face, simply place your key light on the side that the nose is pointing. In other words; in your SP here, your nose is pointing slightly camera right. What the camera sees is that your left side of your face is shorter than the right side (less can be seen from the camera angle), hence the term SHORT SIDE. (NOTE: my avatar is lit using short lighting)
Which side to turn the face/nose? This depends on several factors, but one of high importance is to correct for facial differences. For instance; one eye is larger than the other. You would want the larger eye farther from the camera lens, therefore somewhat equalizing it with the other eye.
As to the hair light; rule of thumb is to place the hair light on the opposite side of the key light.
As always, rules are made to be broken, but it's good to have an understanding of them so that when you do break them, your doing it on purpose.
BTW, SP's are very difficult to pull off correctly, IMHO.
Your lighting is setup for loop lighting, but it's also setup for BROAD LIGHTING. In your shot, your face/nose is slightly turned camera right. (It could stand to be turned further, but not so much as to eliminate the ear, unless you have a reason to) From the camera's view, this puts the most visible side (BROAD SIDE) camera left. You've placed your key light also on that same BROAD side. Therefore, you are lighting the BROAD side with the key light. This means that you are using BROAD lighting.
Broad lighting for most faces does not give as much of a 3D effect & tends to make the face look rounder.
SHORT LIGHTING on the other hand, will give better modeling to the face and will have a slimming effect on it.
To SHORT light a face, simply place your key light on the side that the nose is pointing. In other words; in your SP here, your nose is pointing slightly camera right. What the camera sees is that your left side of your face is shorter than the right side (less can be seen from the camera angle), hence the term SHORT SIDE. (NOTE: my avatar is lit using short lighting)
Which side to turn the face/nose? This depends on several factors, but one of high importance is to correct for facial differences. For instance; one eye is larger than the other. You would want the larger eye farther from the camera lens, therefore somewhat equalizing it with the other eye.
As to the hair light; rule of thumb is to place the hair light on the opposite side of the key light.
As always, rules are made to be broken, but it's good to have an understanding of them so that when you do break them, your doing it on purpose.
BTW, SP's are very difficult to pull off correctly, IMHO.
Hope that helps...
Hey RWells: This was excellent information. I appreciate your taking the time to respond. It is tough to do an SP, especially without some sort of live view feedback so you can adjust yourself accordingly. Your description on broad lighting and short lighting really helped. I was wondering why I kept turning out looking like I had gained 15 lbs in my face lol I don't need to add any extra negatives there since I'm starting with a mug like mine it's tough enough as it is
Measure from ear to nose on one side of the face, then do it again for the other side; one side will be longer.... If the long side is "lit", this is Broad Light. If it is dark, then obviously the "short" side is lit.
Hey Randy......it appears you are trying to achieve a more "formal" style of portrait with the suggested lighting set ups. The very first thing you need to consider is: "What do I envision my head shot to look like?"....once you answer that question the rest is implementing the concept. Do you really want loop lighting? or Rembrant? or short or broad? If so, why?
How about a softbox on each side or better yet, produce a low key lighting set? Many times simple is much better..especially for Men's headshots. Rather than drawing a diagram here's something to try:
2 lights (assuming you are using Alien Bees or something with a 6-7 inch reflector). Black background, aim one light directly at the backdrop, directly behind you (power it for the look you want). Then use your softbox either CR or CL and position your body in that direction, turn your head toward the camera and away you go. The wrap around light envelope is determined by the angle of the softbox and how much of the edge you use for fall off. Simply turn your softbox with the modeling light on and watch how the edge of the light plays into the shadows. I realize it's a bit hard when no one is on the stool, so put something up there so you can see how the light is working...you'll be amazed at what you can achieve with even 1 light and modifiers.
In any case...the first thing again is "What do you envision your portrait to look like?"
Randy, Excellent broad and short lighting demontration.
Randy Brogden...nice ligiting...you have it, "spot on," as was stated before. I've seen a lot of portraits...yours it nice...well metered...color is very nice. Try some different postions and you are there. Thanks for sharing.
Remember, no one may want you to take pictures, but they all want to see them. Educate yourself like you'll live forever and live like you'll die tomorrow.
I was getting prepaired for my off-camera spiel next week and I took these for you since Roxi was nice enough to model again.
All I did between these two shots was to turn her head. (camera hand-held so the alignment is not perfect)
Notice how the broad lighting makes her face look round, while the short lighting makes her face look longer...
Broad Lighting
Short Lighting
Hope that helps...
Randy...thank you for this....I've since done a fair amount of reading and studying on lighting (prep for the CPP exam) and I really appreciate you taking the time to share this.
Randy, Excellent broad and short lighting demontration.
Randy Brogden...nice ligiting...you have it, "spot on," as was stated before. I've seen a lot of portraits...yours it nice...well metered...color is very nice. Try some different postions and you are there. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Ed. I am going to make some time and try another SP .... lol if someone walked by the basement window and looked in and saw me talking to myself as I pose I will surely be locked up! lol..but hey if you can't be yourself..what's the use?
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New avatar?
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lol..I meant this one should be yoru new one. The other one is a bit washed out.
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Hi Hackbone,
Thank you for replying. My goal was actually not butterfly but what would amount to 1/3 of a butterfly (the wing) which is a small loop shadow from the nostril.
My understanding is there are 5 basic portrait lighting application types (butterfly, loop, rembrandt, split and rim).
- Butterfly lighting forms the shadow below the nose and looks like a butterfly
- Loop light is basically a small loop shadow that forms a loop from the nostril to the inside start of the cheek.
- Rembrandt is where the nose shadow and the opposing cheek shadow just start to combine.
- Split is where only half the face is in full light
- Rim lighting is really not to be used by itself but more of an accent from high/behind causing a rim of light around the head almost like a halo.
www.brogen.com
Member: PPA , PPANE, PPAM & NAPP
Your lighting is setup for loop lighting, but it's also setup for BROAD LIGHTING. In your shot, your face/nose is slightly turned camera right. (It could stand to be turned further, but not so much as to eliminate the ear, unless you have a reason to) From the camera's view, this puts the most visible side (BROAD SIDE) camera left. You've placed your key light also on that same BROAD side. Therefore, you are lighting the BROAD side with the key light. This means that you are using BROAD lighting.
Broad lighting for most faces does not give as much of a 3D effect & tends to make the face look rounder.
SHORT LIGHTING on the other hand, will give better modeling to the face and will have a slimming effect on it.
To SHORT light a face, simply place your key light on the side that the nose is pointing. In other words; in your SP here, your nose is pointing slightly camera right. What the camera sees is that your left side of your face is shorter than the right side (less can be seen from the camera angle), hence the term SHORT SIDE. (NOTE: my avatar is lit using short lighting)
Which side to turn the face/nose? This depends on several factors, but one of high importance is to correct for facial differences. For instance; one eye is larger than the other. You would want the larger eye farther from the camera lens, therefore somewhat equalizing it with the other eye.
As to the hair light; rule of thumb is to place the hair light on the opposite side of the key light.
As always, rules are made to be broken, but it's good to have an understanding of them so that when you do break them, your doing it on purpose.
BTW, SP's are very difficult to pull off correctly, IMHO.
Hope that helps...
Hey RWells: This was excellent information. I appreciate your taking the time to respond. It is tough to do an SP, especially without some sort of live view feedback so you can adjust yourself accordingly. Your description on broad lighting and short lighting really helped.
Thanks again.
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That's how it was 'spained to me.
How about a softbox on each side or better yet, produce a low key lighting set? Many times simple is much better..especially for Men's headshots. Rather than drawing a diagram here's something to try:
2 lights (assuming you are using Alien Bees or something with a 6-7 inch reflector). Black background, aim one light directly at the backdrop, directly behind you (power it for the look you want). Then use your softbox either CR or CL and position your body in that direction, turn your head toward the camera and away you go. The wrap around light envelope is determined by the angle of the softbox and how much of the edge you use for fall off. Simply turn your softbox with the modeling light on and watch how the edge of the light plays into the shadows. I realize it's a bit hard when no one is on the stool, so put something up there so you can see how the light is working...you'll be amazed at what you can achieve with even 1 light and modifiers.
In any case...the first thing again is "What do you envision your portrait to look like?"
Good luck
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Randy,
I was getting prepaired for my off-camera spiel next week and I took these for you since Roxi was nice enough to model again.
All I did between these two shots was to turn her head. (camera hand-held so the alignment is not perfect)
Notice how the broad lighting makes her face look round, while the short lighting makes her face look longer...
Broad Lighting
Short Lighting
Hope that helps...
Randy Brogden...nice ligiting...you have it, "spot on," as was stated before. I've seen a lot of portraits...yours it nice...well metered...color is very nice. Try some different postions and you are there. Thanks for sharing.
Educate yourself like you'll live forever and live like you'll die tomorrow.
Ed
Randy...thank you for this....I've since done a fair amount of reading and studying on lighting (prep for the CPP exam) and I really appreciate you taking the time to share this.
www.brogen.com
Member: PPA , PPANE, PPAM & NAPP
Thanks Ed. I am going to make some time and try another SP .... lol if someone walked by the basement window and looked in and saw me talking to myself as I pose I will surely be locked up! lol..but hey if you can't be yourself..what's the use?
www.brogen.com
Member: PPA , PPANE, PPAM & NAPP