Fashion Lighting

[brian_mengini]

I am going to be shooting some fashion soon and have really only done portrait in the studio (and dance). Can anyone offer tips, esp on lighting?

Thanks

[artandrevolution]

when all else fails, i always fall back on "butterfly lighting".
maybe you could google it to get a visual of what the set up looks like. use softboxes if you have them available

[dang]

You might like to check this link, and as suggested, Google is our friend.
http://www.lighting-essentials.com/onli ... shop1.html

[marxz]

You might like to check this link, and as suggested, Google is our friend.
http://www.lighting-essentials.com/onli ... shop1.html

Dang, I bet you know that URL by heart by now...

edit: oops, no, that's a new one ... must read it now ... (see we do follow your links)

[dang]

[pacopixs]

I would suggest ...direct lighting ...with balcar strobes ....fashion and catalog phography is not portrait photography ...with bland lighting ..with ratios and such for lighting ...ringlights are common ....but really it depends on your art director and what he/she wants!

[benjikan]

I would suggest ...direct lighting ...with balcar strobes ....fashion and catalog phography is not portrait photography ...with bland lighting ..with ratios and such for lighting ...ringlights are common ....but really it depends on your art director and what he/she wants!

I agree that the flat stuff works only if the styling is extremely strong. It is all of the elements in the chain that must be strong to give the shoot credibility...

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Benja ... t-together
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Profe ... tography-1

[nimra]

Brian,
I think the easiest fahion light set up is to have a large softbox behind you pointing slightly down and a reflector below model's face. the rest is post-processing and retouching.
Here are 3 examples with the simple softbox set up:






Jan
http://www.pbase.com/wasio

[jdepould]

To me, the big square light in the model's eyes is distracting. I'd rather have it off-center.

If you can experiment a big, try putting a light behind the model, and go for the halo effect.

[benjikan]

I might suggest you put aside the soft box and or umbrella for a moment and try the following which breaks a bit with the common pedestrian approach to lighting.

Take 1 square yard of black backdrop paper and cut a three to four inch diameter hole in it. Take your flash and aim it through the hole at about 1 to 2 feet from the opening. Make sure the hot spot is around the face. Start to cut smaller shapes around the hole to give specular light on the rest of the body. That is called a "Hollywood Grid". Now for the back ground the specular light might suffice and give a very 3D effect which is quite cinematic aka "Casablanca". Of course this is only one of an infinite amount of possibilities.

Good Luck
Ben

[benjikan]

To me, the big square light in the model's eyes is distracting. I'd rather have it off-center.

If you can experiment a big, try putting a light behind the model, and go for the halo effect.

But what do you do if you don't want to cast shadows on the model and are compelled to shooting straight on? I like the window effect of the soft box. Not my cup of tea but very forgiving light none the less.

Oh I also prefer side lighting or extreme off center lighting when given the choice. The more off center the more post prod for the skin...It's a choice dependent on the desired effect.

[benjikan]

You might like to check this link, and as suggested, Google is our friend.
http://www.lighting-essentials.com/onli ... shop1.html

Look, just a bit of advice. You want to really get some very unrealistic and off the mark advice go to the Model Behavior and Lighting essentials web sites...To be avoided at all costs. Just spent a lot of time there and OMG!!! I noticed there link as part of the links posted by you Dang...