1. Lighting for Portrait and Interview Setups
Ian Feinberg
Chattahoochee Technical College
(770)

2. Key to Effective Lighting: Shadow
Shadow gives images form, weight, texture, mood, depth. Also reveals spatial relationships.

3. 3 considerations before lighting
Key light placement – 180 degrees around subject
Quality of light – hard or soft
Shadow treatment – low key or high key

4. Try to separate subject from background

5. 3 results of light hitting object

6. Typical 3 point lighting diagram

7. 3 Attributes of Key Light
Primary source of illumination
Primary factor of overall exposure
Determines placement and quality of shadow

8. Floor plan of Portrait Key Light Possibilities

9. Quality of Light Refers to hard or soft quality of light
“Pin” or undiffused sources create hard shadows that fall off sharply
Soft light is created by using large sources of diffused light.
Determined by two attributes
Large source
Relatively close to subject

10. Subject lit from 3:00 Position

11. Subject lit from 4:00 Position

12. Subject lit from 4:30 Position

13. Subject lit from 6:00 Position

14. Functions of Fill Light
Fills shadows created by key light
Does not create new shadow

15. Adding Fill for Portrait Lighting

16. Fill Light
Without Fill With Fill

17. Backlight
Hard backlight Soft Backlight

18. Background
With Background Without Background

19. Hard vs. Soft Key Light
Hard Soft

20. Relative Distance of Soft Light Source
Close Far

21. Lighting Dark Skin with Large Sources of Light
Pin Light Source Large Diffused Source

22. One Light Setup
Use available Light from existing window

23. One-Light Setup
Available Light One-Light Setup

24. One-Light Setup
Light directly in front Short Side of Face

25. Color Balance
Color Temps Mixing Key light with color correction

26. Warming the Scene
Normal Color Balance Tricking Camera to Produce Warmer Tones

27. Using Backlight as Key

28. Use Large sources for Specular Reflections

29. Backlight as Key Creates Form, Depth, Dynamic Images

30. Lighting for Portrait and Interview Setups
Ian Feinberg
Chattahoochee Technical College
(770)