Advice on hard/direct light sets ups with continuos lighting

[william_wright3]

<p>Hi all,<br /> Perhaps a very rudimentary question, but am currently trying to work out a direct lighting set up that for photo and video use, in the style often seen in fashion editorials (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_yb0y_JNWg">example 1</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alX6LsZ7qXk">example 2</a>) and maybe to a lesser extent (as the light seems a little more diffused) music videos such as Robin Thicke's <a href="

Lines</a>.</p>

<p>My question isn't so much about the kit itself, which is pretty self explanatory (single direct light as close to the camera lens axis as possible), it's more how to do such direct lighting without it being blinding for the models and have them constantly squinting - something I've had problems with myself, although the models etc in the videos above seem fairly comfortable and able to look directly at the camera without any noticeable grimacing (although they could just be extremely professional in the face of eye-blinding agony!)</p>

<p>i.e is it best to shoot on a long lens and have both light and camera as far back as possible, or just keep the light far back and try not to get in the way and cause a shadow (more informed and experienced opinions welcome of course!)</p>

<p>I appreciate that for stills purposes its a lot easier to acheive this using a flash, but I really want something that will work for stills and video. Also I know diffusing the light would help but i really want to keep things as hard as possible for the purposes of this set up.</p>

<p>Anyone that has advice or experience on this would be great to hear from you.</p>

[brian yarvin]

<p>William, it sounds like you've got it down correctly. The look that you and I are both noticing these days has a direct and sharp shadow and uses plain light units with no modifiers at all. (save a few fill-in reflector cards) The main reason models don't suffer "eye-blinding agony" is that the main light is a bit farther from the camera than you describe. Even a ten or fifteen degree change will offer some relief.</p>

<p>I myself have adapted this technique to still life with pretty good success. It takes a bit of getting used to, but gives images a really fresh look that sometimes mistaken for direct sunlight.</p>

<p>Good luck with your work!</p>

[william_wright3]

<p>Thanks for the response Brian, that's definitely what I was thinking it might be - presumably the light is placed further behind the camera and not in front?<br>

(If this is the case) Any good tips for shooting infront of the light without casting a shadow yourself?</p>

[brian yarvin]

<p>No William, not in front or behind, but off to one side, the same distance from the subject that you are. Start with the light at arm's length and work from there. Six inches one way or the other will change the mood completely. Sorry if my first answer wasn't clear.</p>

[william_wright3]

<p>Thanks Brian - got it :)<br>

Just out of curiosity what size lens are you using for your shots?<br>

I'm wanting to keep the shadow as tight to the models body as possible for the shots, so Im figuring a longer lens with both me and the light as far away from the model as possible will likely be best for this.</p>

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<p>The farther back the light the more you can angle it away so you don't cast a shadow. Think of spokes on a wheel where the closer toward center you get the more there's less space to angle out out of the way.</p>

<p>I've been experimenting with light dispersion behavior with a Soraa LED spot flood lamp that I don't recommend for what you're doing because it doesn't put out enough light but the sample below does illustrates the hard shadows you get with a spot flood type lamp.</p>

<p>Of course the more light output the better off you'll be with shutter speed because the portrait in that sample I shot as a selfie at 45mm, 1/80's, f/4.5, ISO 800, not enough light. That lamp works good for close-ups like the Fossil belt sample. </p>

<p>The farther back the light the less light and softer look but it did keep hard shadows. There was no diffusion effect with distance, just dimmer light.</p>

<div></div>

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<p>And here's an example using the same LED lamp just to show how subject distance to light and a back wall will affect shadow edges. The youtube models appear to be close to a wall. Move them away and the shadows edges become a bit soft</p>

<p>Disregard the halos in the sample. That's the Soraa's lens design I've already discussed with the company tech. A professional light won't or shouldn't produce those halos.</p><div></div>

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<p>And this demonstration of hard vs soft light is pretty informative...</p>

<p>http://lowel.tiffen.com/edu/foundations_softlight.html</p>

[brian yarvin]

<p>William, I'm shooting still lifes with 50 and 100 macros. Since my two businesses are stock photos of food and food photos for cookbooks, the biggest thing I shoot is about two feet across. </p>