By Paul Tyler
This month I will be discussing lighting. Now if you are a regular reader you will know that my preferred lighting is natural. No matter what the situation, natural light will always give you such wonderful soft tones and makes a models skin look soft. Then reading the back issues you'll know how light at different temperatures can make a picture more appealing. If you have to use a studio then trying to recreate any of the above situations is hard unless you have been practising for years. We have covered basic lighting in previous issues and I want this month to get far more involved in the technicalities of using light and what can be achieved.
Lighting and the model
| By clicking an image it will take you to a greater explanation of what is being done! | |||
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Here is a beautiful picture using natural light to full advantage | Natural Light can acheive differing effects. | Lighting used to maximum advantage | Models face shadows cause problems. |
| The pictures below I hope speak for themselves. | |||
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Now a very attractive pose giving the model a nice line. A blue gel has been used over the flash directed at the background and a very warm gel has been used over the main light. It does make for an attractive picture if you can handle the unattural colour. The blue lighting on the models front right is a little disconcerting, but that's subjective. |
Now I know a lot of new to glamour photographers try hard to get a warm feeling into their pictures because in the early stages you are lucky if you can get a model with a nice tan without ugly tan lines. The pictures you are trying to emulate usually have wonderfully warm skin toned models. Well face it they are. A models pale skin is not a disadvantage if used correctly as in the picture above. |
Here warm summer evening light has been used to good effect and taken advantage of. The model looks sexy and alluring. Notice how the photographer has used the coolness of the shadows totally in the left picture giving a smoothness to the skin, just using that warm sun on the models right side and allowing it to light the background. The right picture you may think looks a little odd having the orange light on the models face. The left is the best of the two in my humble opinion.. | |
So as you can see a good picture is certainly not about getting the model to run through her poses and then running off a roll or seven of film. I am not saying all the pictures are planned, but it is about looking at what you have and taking advantage.
Abstact Studio
 |
 |
| Take a look at these 2 pictures and decide how you would have lit them. The model is posing on a huge mirror floor. |
One thing to remember when working with mirrors is that you light the subject and ensure no flash or reflector light actually get into the mirror. The reflection will show the same modelling of light, mirrored of course(Ha Ha) Sorry!
Good Solid Studio Work.
| Click on an image to understand what makes a great studio shot. | |
 |
 |
| Two cracking pictures using studio lighting. | |
If you look at a glamour picture and think, "Hey that's a great picture," ask yourself why it's a great picture? Now if you have never been in a studio, or used studio lights you might not understand why I have used the two pictures above. If you have used a studio then you do know why I have used these two pictures as examples of good solid work. I receive many pictures from models who want my advice and the pictures have been done by professionals. I very rarely see work of this quality. Of course I don't expect a wedding, portrait, high street photographer to produce work like this as glamour is specialist. God I am hopeless at weddings and dread friends asking me. I usually cop out by offering to do a video instead. If you are planning on using a studio then this is what you should be aiming for on a regular basis. I'll be explaining working out of doors next month as the weather improves, (we hope) but we will be covering using lights in more detail with squiggles and diagrams and everything soon!!!!!
©Struthers Web 2001