Light It Up

On Sunday, I had the honor of modeling for a lighting workshop at HGAB studios. It was a really fun, educational experience. As a model, we often ignore the terms involved in photography (what the heck is ISO and why do you have to change it so often??). While no one expects the model to know these nitty gritty details, it is really important for a model to understand the lighting and how to use it to his or her advantage. Everyone has their own style and preference when it comes to lighting and often the lighting will be dependent on the mood or concept of the shoot; there is no real right or wrong way. With that being said, here are my favorite lightings to shoot, in no particular order.

Window lighting. There’s a few reasons I really like window lighting, but the biggest is the versatility. It can be soft and natural, almost an ethereal feeling, or be rather harsh, creating a backlight for silhouette shots. Obviously this really depends on the time of day and what direction your window faces. Playing with the blinds can give you really cool shadows across the skin. During the workshop, I learned a cool trick to replicate in house on a budget. If you’ve lost your window lighting, you can use a shower curtain to diffuse the light. A backdrop stand would be perfect for securing the curtain in place. Place your light a few feet away from the curtain, higher than the model. You may have to experiment with the light intensity to get it perfect. A light meter will help you narrow in on the settings quickly. 

Shot by Juan Medina

Shot by Tatan Zuleta

Neon/colored gels. Neon portraits are a fun way to add color to your page, and experiment with reflections and prisms. In general, I like to do a more neutral color scheme in terms of wardrobe and just let the colors speak for themselves. White clothing will pick up some of the color, as will the highlights on items with a “wet” shiny finish. Glasses are a great accessory for reflection as well. Accessibility to neon lights will be dependent on your location and obviously the pandemic. Some location ideas include arcades, selfie museums, and Chinatown. Alternatively, colored gels in the studio can create a similar effect. You can use gels or colored cellophane over the lights to create that vibrant glow. Editing programs such as Photoshop and PicsArt can help you fake the neon. For more on this, check out my article (and all of the amazing artists) in the December issue of Photos Unboxed Magazine, The Neon Project!

Shot by Avonte Boykins

Shot by Mauricio Yciano

Golden hour. Golden hour is an all time favorite in the photography community. This is the time shortly after sunrise or before sunset. The sun isn’t too high or hot or harsh, and there will be fewer shadows. My favorite part is the warm glow it gives the skin. I love angling my face to have the sun hit my cheek highlight just right. It is a very flattering type of light and give a dreamy effect. Despite being called golden hour, it’s probably closer to 30 minutes depending on your geographical location. Meteogram.org is a great resource for figuring out sunrise/sunset, golden hours, and blue hours for the city and day you’re shooting. Aiming for golden hour will also give you some shoot time with the sunrise/sunset. Sunset/sunrise shoots can be nice, but this period of the day goes by so quickly that you have to work quite fast. 

Shot by Rogue Photography

Shot by Kins Photography

Of course these are not the only lighting situations I shoot in, and I don’t believe I have any least favorites, although sunrise is down there on the list because I am not a morning person. Lighting plays a huge role in your shoot. It will change the mood of your photo from dreamy to playful to somber to dramatic. It will affect the tone, texture, and vibrancy of your photos. It can either make post production a dream or a living hell. For the more technical side of lighting, I encourage you to visit some other photography blogs and see example sets up and their results.

What is your favorite lighting to shoot in?