use light for drama
Learn how to utilise soft light, contrast and strong shadows
We hear it all too often, but considered and controlled lighting is the crux of all good photography. Atmospheric portraits are no different, and the key to lighting them is to look for ways to make an impact without overdoing things.
One simple approach is to harness the natural beauty of window light. Larger light sources create softer light, and windows yield a good balance between shadows and highlights. To add mood, have your subject turn away from the window, so that one side of their face is illuminated and the other is thrown into deep shadow. The directional light will create a more dramatic look, which can be taken further by partially pulling across curtains or blinds. North-facing windows are ideal, as bright sunshine produces harsher results. Use aperture priority mode and a wide aperture such as f4, taking an initial shot without any exposure compensation. If you’re finding the lit side of your subject is overexposed, dial in about -1.0 EV of compensation and reshoot. Consider the angle of the light hitting your subject, and if the window isn’t very high, have them sit down so the light comes from above rather than below them.
Continuing to rely on sunlight, backlighting subjects is another option. Golden portraits that feature sunrays and rim lighting drip with atmosphere of a more ephemeral nature, and you’ll need to time your shoot for around 30 minutes before and after sunset. Position the sun behind your subject, and work with a longer focal lens such as a 70-200mm to separate them from the backdrop. When shooting directly into the sun, it’s best to use a lens hood to reduce haze. Switch to spot metering and meter for your model’s skin tones so that you expose correctly. Alternatively, purposely underexpose them to create depth and shadows across the face and a low-key look. Avoid including open sky in the frame, as this will blow out and distract the eye’s attention away from your subject.
Wherever you’re shooting, make sure you’re aware of the effect that light has on sculpting facial shapes. If you’re a familiar studio visitor, you’ll have come across the terms short and broad lighting. A short lighting setup is the more dramatic and slimming of the two, whereby the side of your subject’s face further away from the camera is illuminated by the key light. For example, if your subject
“Golden portraits that feature sunrays and rim lighting drip with atmosphere of a more ephemeral nature”
was looking to the left of the camera, you’d place the light to the left of the camera.
Extreme contrast can be generated by placing the main light directly at your subject’s side for a split lighting effect. One half of their face is illuminated, while the other is thrown into darkness. A speedlight can be used to play around with the direction of artificial light too, so don’t limit yourself to a studio environment.
If the light you’re presented with doesn’t generate the right mood, modify and reposition it to better suit your needs. This is where creativity comes in, so research and practise ways to control the spread of the beam. A gobo (go-between object) is a light modifier that goes between your light source and your subject. It can be a stencil or shape cut to fit into your lighting, used to block the light, diffuse it or even colour it. For example, you could cut long rectangles in a sheet of card and place it in front of your flashgun to give the illusion that the light is passing through a blind. A gobo can be used to create a variety of moody lighting effects, and the principles are the same no matter what shape your gobo is. To really step up the cinematic effect, add in artificial fog to define the shafts of light as they pass through the gobo.
Learning to ‘see’ light is an important part of conveying feelings and mood. A shaft of light or pattern across the face will conjure up narratives and stories that visually entice the viewer. As a very general rule, the moodiest portraits have more shadow than not, as this adds a level of mystery to the composition. If in doubt, stick to one main light source and experiment from there.
“A shaft of light or pattern across the face will conjure up narratives and stories that visually entice the viewer”