Continuous Lights in the Studio
Fresnel Lights are the Cornerstone of Cinematic Imagery
Written on the 15th of August, 2022
You might have noticed from my blog that I have a deep passion for dramatic portraits, which is why I embrace one-light photography. One-light photography creates bold shadows and intensifies contrast, a quality that I find myself embracing from time to time. While I enjoy the simplicity of one-light photography, adding more lights to a photoshoot opens the door to limitless creative possibilities.
I invited my friend Saoud AlTurki to participate in this photoshoot. I began with one-light photography, using my Nikon SB-5000 Speedlight attached to an octabox. The octabox was positioned at a 45-degree angle above his eye level to achieve Rembrandt lighting. The diagram below illustrates the lighting setup used during the photoshoot:
I used the following gear:
I love how soft the light is. With some Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop magic, I achieved the following results:
I recently purchased the Lupo Dayled 650 Dual Color LED Fresnel to complement my existing Dayled 1000 Dual Color LED Fresnel. My goal was to create a cinematic two-light setup in the studio. I positioned the Dayled 1000 as the key light at a 45-degree angle above eye level. Then, I used the Dayled 650 to provide background lighting, which helped separate the subject from the backdrop. Since both lights offer dual color options, I was able to adjust their color temperatures. Although I'm not entirely sure, I believe I set both lights to 5600 Kelvin. I was shooting in RAW format, which would allow me to adjust the color temperature in post-processing. The diagram below illustrates the lighting setup used for the photoshoot.
I used the following gear:
Here are the results of the continuous two-light setup:
Harnessing the power of Speedlight in photography delivers stunning results, though it may require some trial and error to perfect your exposure settings. This process of fine-tuning light intensity and experimenting with angles allows you to achieve exceptional images that really stand out. In contrast, continuous lights provide a clear advantage by offering real-time visibility of your lighting and shadows. This immediate feedback empowers you to confidently compose your shots, ensuring that the final images align perfectly with your artistic vision.
The images turned out absolutely fantastic. I've always appreciated natural skin tones and colors, but I took it a step further with the following three photos by adding a greenish tone to the highlights. This choice enhances the skin tone with a beautiful glow that evokes the charm of old films.