Why lighting matters – Lighting in location
Photography workshop in Tallinn was about lighting people in location. Some rule of thumbs you can always lean on.
Aim of lighting is to support available light. That’s why first thing is to check direction, nature and color of available light. Then you use additional light sources and light modifiers that to create lighting in the way it “can’t be seen” in final image. Image looks natural, like snapshot. In this image I used 50 mm lens.
(1) Main light: Dedolight Panaura 5 with grid + additional disposable white sheet as extra diffuser … I used large light source to lit Leho like window light and ceiling light illuminates him.
(2) Rim light, right: Dedolight Classic Series Tungsten 100W + barn doors … to create illusion that ceiling lamp on the right side illuminates him.
(3) Rim light, left: Dedolight Classic Series Tungsten 100W + barn doors … to create illusion that ceiling lamp on the bar illuminates him.
(4) Additional light: Dedolight Classic Series Tungsten 100W + barn doors … I added light source to illuminate sofas and floor more because they looked so dark and lightless.
(5) Additional light: Dedolight Classic Series Tungsten 100W + barn doors … name of the jazz club is Philly Joe’s and this painting is picture of this specific Joe.
(6) Additional light: Dedolight Classic Series Tungsten 100W + barn doors … without additional light whole bar on background would have appeared too dark.
… and I forgot fill light.
I had great opportunity to visit Tallinn last week and do photography workshop there. It was organized by Overall Eesti and Canon.
We had photography workshop in local Jazz Club Philly Joe‘s. Owner of club is the best drummer in Estonia, Reigo Ahven. I was told before workshop that Mr. Ahven might be one of models, and I thought I’m going to shoot 60-70 years old jazz musician. And then I met Reigo for the first time – he was guy in his thirties 😀
Photos on the walls are shot by Estonian photographer Kaupo Kikkas who I know earlier. He studied 10 years ago in Finland, VVI. Small world.
Workshop’s participants were professional photographers from Tallinn. Good to meet colleagues from different countries. Unfortunately one day photography workshop is so short. It would have been interesting to hear more about photography business inEstonia. Hopefully next time 🙂
I used continuous light sources in demonstrations. They were cool for demonstrations – and shooting too – in interior in low lighting. You can see light all the time.
Our first model was Leho from Overall… little bit different work day for him 🙂
I used Canon 6D and it’s wireless system so we could have live view image on the screen. It’s great tool in lighting demonstrations, people can just relax on sofas, have coffees and see “what camera sees” same time.
Cookie lighting– Vivid light in location
In second demonstration I positioned Signe nearer to camera and used 24 mm lens. In lighting I used only small light sources and created more vivid cookie lighting on model and interior.
(1) Main light: Dedolight Classic Series Tungsten 100W + barn doors … I used butterfly lighting just to demonstrate different kind of lighting style and create cookie lighting on Signe’s face.
(2) Fill light: Dedolight Classic Series Tungsten 100W + barn doors … to lighten shadow areas on model’s face
(3) Rim light, right: Dedolight Classic Series Tungsten 100W + barn doors … to create illusion that ceiling lamp illuminates her.
(4) Rim light, left: Dedolight Classic Series Tungsten 100W + barn doors … to create illusion that ceiling lamp illuminates her
(5) Additional light: Dedolight Classic Series Tungsten 100W + DP 1 imager projection attachment + gobo … to lit floor near door just to show how you can create cookie lighting on the background.
(6) Additional light: Dedolight Classic Series Tungsten 100W + barn doors … without additional light whole bar on background would have appeared too dark.
… and then I ran out small light sources 🙂
Positioning the main light. I used barn doors to narrow light beam as much as possible. Narrow light beam illuminates model’s face just from centre and creates shadow areas on the cheeks.
At this demo I remembered fill light :).
You can see how main light’s barn doors are placed. These barn doors have two large leaves on opposite sites. With these kind of barn doors you can create rectangle and narrow light beam. If you have barn doors where’s four leaves about same size, it doesn’t work that well.
Back to basics – Only one additional light source
After these demonstrations participants asked if I could do one demonstration only with one light source.
Before – after:
(1) Main light: Dedolight Panaura 5 with grid + additional disposable white sheet as extra diffuser
At the same time I explained about importance of diagonal lines in images to create illusion of movement and dynamics. You take that into a consideration when you make framing, composing and posing your model etc.
At the end of the day we still checked some details of posing with two people.
I had great day in Tallinn. City is beautiful and people are friendly. Signe Povar and Liis Mutli had organized everything great. I want to thank also Reigo Ahven that we were able to do photography workshop in his club. And special thanks to all participants.
Hopefully see you soon in Tallinn 🙂
And last, but not least. Thanks to my friend and assistant Tuula Kalima. We weren’t traveling light, but we had great time!
Making of images: Olli Turtiainen, Signe Povar and Martin/Overall Eesti.
