The importance of lighting
Without light, there can be no photographs. The most important part of photography is light. And with the right light, you can make magic… even with an iPhone.
Whatever scenario you find yourself in, always look for the best quality light (using whatever you have). When shooting glamour photography, that is usually a nice, soft light that doesn’t give harsh shadows and naturally smooths the model’s complexion.
At a recent shoot, with an amazing model, Michelle Rivera, we found a little inlet cave along the beach in San Diego. We were shooting au natural light, with no reflectors, modifiers, studio strobes, etc.
Model: Michelle Nikole Rivera
The first shots came out well because I made sure to put Michelle in the shade (it was pretty close to mid-day). But then I looked around and realized the sun was bouncing off the rock wall on my [photographer’s] right. I turned Michelle counter-clockwise so she was lit by the sunlight bouncing off the wall. So, I turned Michelle to face the right wall. You can see the impact of just that small change. (Note: the photo on the left was cropped in and levels were slightly adjusted to match the example photo on the right. The photo on the right is straight from the camera with presets that were applied to the photo on the left as well) Her skin is smoother and more flattering (although it is hard to make such a beautiful model more beautiful). But probably the biggest improvement is the way the light hits her eyes. We also get some big, beautiful catchlights. Catchlights are what give a photo that sparkle of life.
By following the light, I turned a “nice” photo into a great one. Those small adjustments are what take photographers to the next level.
Below is the final photo with maybe two minutes of editing: skin smoothed a little, eyes enhanced with a crisper catchlight, hair contrast increased, added “wetness” to lips, and a shadow created to add left-to-right “moving into the cave” depth.
October 17, 2011 at 7:29 pm, Xtraordinary_Images said:
Completely Agree……..One Of The Most Important Things In Photos Is The Lighting And Of Course Having A Model Who Knows How To Pose And A Photographer That Knows How To Angle And Shoot Makes Everything All The Better! A Pretty Model And Lovely Picture Indeed!!!
October 13, 2011 at 3:31 pm, David Janoff said:
I appreciate this article and the EduLibrary series as a whole. A great addition to the site.
October 13, 2011 at 11:20 am, Amaresh said:
Awesome article.. Awesome work also.. keep it good 🙂
October 13, 2011 at 8:37 am, Clearjsp said:
the final shot makes it indeed, also moving the model gives here a different stand that is more the my personal like then the first shot nice job with just al little adjustment
October 13, 2011 at 7:02 am, Gmodels2010 said:
I also love how the light falls off on the model’s thighs. This gives shape, which is otherwise not there in the first photo.
October 13, 2011 at 4:27 am, Zr said:
you said turning the subject to the (your) right wall, but she is looking towards your left on the photo.. so which way is right?
October 18, 2011 at 5:38 pm, reuben dixon said:
My mistake, I turned the model to her left.
October 12, 2011 at 11:00 pm, reuben dixon said:
Thanks everyone for the kind words!!
October 12, 2011 at 7:47 pm, Allen Freeman said:
Love that final shot…..very well done and thanks for the lighting info! Oh, also the fact that she is doing something different with each hand in the final shot makes it better. (I know….that’s another article.)
October 12, 2011 at 6:11 pm, AnnaMae said:
I love it. As a former lighting designer (but admittedly know nothing about cameras) the first thing that attracts me to a photographer is lighting! (first thing I notice when walking into a room, watching a concert/play/etc, and the first thing that makes me fall in love with a photographer). I LOVE excellent lighting. Fantastic examples!
October 12, 2011 at 5:54 pm, Keithdewey3 said:
Great explanation and examples! Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge!