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Studio portraits – different setups for different looks

January 8, 2021 Neil vN 2 Comments

Studio portraits – different setups for different looks

As a kind of “inaugural” photo session in my new studio space, I asked my photographer friend, @ClaytonReynolds, if he’d be willing come in to be photographed. I liked the way Clayton’s confidence and natural charm comes through in these photos. We used 3 different setups for 3 different looks. From the simplest of setups — just window-light, to a more complex setup using a spotlight with a gobo. There are two pull-back shots if you’re curious about the lighting configuration.

This photo above is a favorite way to quickly get soft, nuanced lighting in the studio. The big gridded 1×6 Profoto stripbox is such a flexible light modifier in how it can be swiveled and rotated to change the way the light falls on both subject and the background. Here is a description of how I use this huge softbox: Studio photography – Posing & Lighting

For those of you local to me here in NJ, keep in mind that I do offer my studio out as a rental studio space: NJ photography studio rental

Camera settings & photo gear used

  • 1/160  @  f/5.6  @  200 ISO
  • Sony A9  (B&H / Amazon)
  • Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM  (B&H / Amazon)
  • Lighting, camera right:
  • gridded Profoto 1’x6’ gridded strip-box  (B&H / Amazon)
  • (1x) Profoto B1 flash  (B&H / Amazon)
  • Lighting, camera left:
  • gridded Profoto RFi 1×3 softbox
  • Profoto A1x flash for Sony  (B&H / Amazon) with a turquoise gel
  • Profoto OCF adapter  (B&H / Amazon)

Main light: Profoto D1 studio flash, with the gridded Profoto 1’x6’ gridded strip-box  (B&H / Amazon)

Accent light to camera left: Profoto A1x flash for Sony  (B&H / Amazon) with a turquoise gel, mounted onto a gridded Profoto RFi 1×3 softbox. The Profoto A1 was mounted to the softbox with the Profoto OCF adapter  (B&H / Amazon). The soft grid helps control the way the light spills. More on adding a gel like that to add some flavor: Using gelled flash in the studio

More about the Profoto OCF adapter: Off-camera flash with the Profoto A1, A1x, A10 flashes

The background is just a white studio wall.

This still remains fascinating after all these years of shooting with off-camera flash or studio lighting. This is what your eyes see … but in under-exposing the available light – either to an extent, or completely – you allow the off-camera lighting / studio lighting to define what the camera sees.

Related articles

  • Profoto: How to use gridded strip boxes as the main light  (video tutorial)
  • Using a gridded stripbox as the main light  (model: Claudia)
  • Using gelled flash in the studio
  • Dramatic portraits of kids – Lighting and intent
  • Off-camera flash with the Profoto A1, A1x, A10 flashes
  • Studio photography – Using a big gridded strip-box / soft-box

 


 

Another sequence from the photo session with Clayton. The lighting here was simplicity itself — window light in my studio. I like the way the sunlight spilled into the studio, and reflected off the floor … and then all the indirect light falling on Clayton, with the different shades of color from left to right across his face. Note the warmer tones on his left side / camera right. It is this nuanced lighting that I would still love to emulate with flash photography — where we can recreate the idea of different smaller light sources affecting our subject.

The canvas backdrop is by @oliphantstudio and is my favorite to use for the nuanced tones.

The lens used is one of my all-time favorite lenses – the Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM  (B&H / Amazon)

Camera settings & photo gear used

  • 1/250  @  f/2.8  @  800 ISO
  • Sony A9  (B&H / Amazon)
  • Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM  (B&H / Amazon)

 


 

With this setup, we explored a more dramatic look. The light modifier that made the difference here is the (fairly rare by now) Profoto Spot Small — a focusable light to which you can add a gobo to shape the light pattern.

I am not sure if I prefer the color or B&W version. I’m always partial to color because we see in color, yet the B&W version has an added air of mystery. What do you think?

Main light — a Profoto D1 into that Profoto Spot Small … and I think I have figured out how to best use it. Instead of a sharp well-defined border between light & shade, it works better slightly defocused so the transition into shadow is less stark.

Other examples where I used the Profoto Spot Small

  • Dramatic portrait & headshot lighting in the studio
  • Dramatic studio lighting with the Profoto Spot Small
  • Feminine portraits with dramatic flair

The fill light is the big Profoto 5-ft RFi Octa Softbox (B&H / Amazon) as gentle fill light from behind me, swiveled slightly away to reduce the light even more.

And there is a gridded Profoto RFi 1×3 softbox (affiliate) as a rim light in the back.

 

Camera settings & photo gear used

  • 1/160  @  f/2.8  @  160 ISO
  • Sony A9  (B&H / Amazon)
  • Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM  (B&H / Amazon)
  • Main light:
  • Profoto Spot Small
  • Profoto D1 500Ws studio flash  (B&H / Amazon)
  • Rim light:
  • gridded Profoto RFi 1×3 softbox  (B&H / Amazon)
  • Profoto D1 500Ws studio flash  (B&H / Amazon)
  • Fill light:
  • Profoto 5-ft RFi Octa Softbox (B&H / Amazon)
  • Profoto D1 500Ws studio flash  (B&H / Amazon)

 


 

Related articles

  • New photo studio!
  • More articles on studio photography
  • NJ photography studio rental

 

Filed Under: portraits, Profoto, studio photography Tagged With: dramatic studio lighting, New Jersey photo studio, studio lighting, studio lighting with Profoto


 

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If you find these articles of value, please help support this website by using these B&H and Amazon affiliate links to order your photo gear.

I also offer photography workshops and tutoring sessions, whether in person, or via online video tutoring sessions.

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You can also join our thriving photo community in the Tangents group on Facebook, where we show our photos and discuss all things photography.

Thank you,

Neil vN

Books by Neil van Niekerk


 




2 Comments, Add Your Own

  1. 1Valent Lau says

    June 1, 2021 at 9:01 am

    I love the way you can easily rotate striplights. Definitely under used, and so versatile vs an octa.

    Reply
  2. 2Tom Needham says

    January 3, 2022 at 11:57 am

    I’m starting to play with continuous light LEDs in the studio to get a completely different feel to my monochromes. Early days but enjoying the process. Great post btw. Happy New Year

    Reply

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