Getting people in their best light.
Did you know a photo is a chemical recording of light? At least back when film was the only way to take a picture and digital photography wasn’t around yet. So photographers had to be masters of light in order to capture their models beautifully and even though now almost everyone shoots digitally, photographers still have to know how to work with light if they want a stunning portrait. I find it fascinating how much lighting shapes a persons face and can bring out his or her best features.
I recently learned how to get better portraits using loop lighting, Rembrandt lighting, and split lighting, which are featured below. By changing the angles between the camera, the light and the subject you can get different shadows which define the face. I also worked on butterfly lighting, which mostly used in fashion photography because it diminishes the appearance of wrinkles and imperfections. Just a note though, working with studio lighting means that your model’s face will be brightly lit, which means you will need to know some good skin retouching techniques. I used a mix of the clone stamp, the spot healing brush and the mixer brush with a very low flow.
These photos were taken at BYU–Idaho with my classmates as models. We used a beauty dish and Einstein strobe lights. Right now while I am still developing my style I am studying other photographer’s work for inspiration and influence. I really admire the work of Annie Leibovitz, especially her portraits, and I hope to be in her league one day. For now, enjoy these portraits!
