The main light has to be placed in a very specific position in comparison to the model. The angle, height, and distance of the main light are vital to getting the right look. You do not want this light in the models eyes or from a side angle. It also needs to be placed at a good height so you are not casting shadows on the models face. With this light you need to use a diffuser or a soft box to help decrease the darkness of the shadows in the picture.

A hair light is a second light that sits in a specific position. Basically, the hair light is placed behind the model for a few reasons. To use this light correctly attach a snoot to it. A snoot is an attachment to the light that helps direct the … Read the rest

Firstly though, we need to understand that handling this equipment is the latter of two evils. The first is learning to identify light, where it’s coming from, how soft is it, and how it interacts to highlight your subject.

Let’s start with the most available light there is, daylight. It might seem silly, but using the natural daylight, will provide you with the best light there is. Studio lights, are built to try and mimic this light in it’s various forms. Sitting your subject next to a window, will provide a very complimentary colour and softness to the light. The softer the light, the more it wraps around your subject.

If using the window method, try both direct sunlight and indirect shaded light for different effects, and the best part, it’s free! To mimic this kind of light we use … Read the rest