8 Portrait Lighting Setups Every Photographer Should Know

by | Oct 1, 2021 | Portrait Photography

The input for great portrait photography is to first understand about portrait lighting. In the further slides which includes, it introduce the fundamentals of manipulating studio lighting. Lighting ratios, lighting patterns, angles of view, and facial positions these are the important factors while creating a flattering portrait.

Pictures of men are more flattering, not only because the father figure in the picture wanted to portray a confident angle for his child, facing forward, but also because he wanted to convey a sense of timelessness through the eye candy. So the lighting was good. But it doesn’t mean that every man needs a chiseled jawline and symmetrical torso.

Same is the case with photos of women. Photos of women personalize a room and bring vibes to almost every room in the house. A white or ivory tablecloth, perfume bottles, about 10-15 flowers placed at the center of the table, the occasional diamond ring, wedding dress with matching shoes (whatever the occasion may be), and of course, blouses (they are more than just a fashion statement they are a statement on the personality). Photo of women make the furniture feel beautiful and suggest high culture in every respect. Typically, women are photographed in relaxed, semi-exposed poses with the arms, hands and face relaxed and loose.

Photo ideals as reactions, not just visual features

Photo idealization involves not just analyzing the visual features of the subject for vibrancy or the eroticism of clothing, but also their reactions to those features and to the environment or situation. Scanning through dozens of examples of women smiling, laughing, sad, angry, or sadder or more relaxed, all at the same time, illustrates the point: photos of female smiling are a mirror for male behavior patterns. In fact, the most powerful single tool along with a collection of photos, is the personal touch. By making oneself the target of the photo, by lighting oneself, by positioning oneself and by manipulating the environment to place oneself at the center of the action, it is possible to garner a natural reaction that makes most people pay attention.

It’s ultimately the power of collage, the ability to put yourself in the place of another human being in an intimate setting, creating a seamless image. Or as Sun Tzu said:

“The art of war is not to surround yourself with allies, but to surround yourself with enemies.”

Monument to the Vietnamese communist resistance forces launched by Ho Chi Minh

Under the brilliant banner of liberty and equality

Notes from your past are like program notes for marketing purposes. Write short notes mentioning keywords of your platform, inquire, your design/product/service/home page etc.

The sound of your voice and good pace are also important aspects of recording your portrait.

Thank you for reading. Do share your thoughts and questions in the comments below. Also, if you have sound bites or transcription services feel free to share them with us.

References 1. An Introduction to Photography: Natural Light and Human Psychology, The University of Queensland, Australia, 2009 Photography: Making Memories – Photo Tips by Eric Ward, now in its 4th printing. 2.

 

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