LIGHTING ON LOCATION GET YOUR GOAT

How to build a three-light setup for beautiful animal shots down on the farm

01 THREE-LIGHT SETUP

Our farmyard studio setup consists of three lights, although for some shots only the key light on the right was required. We set up in a barn not far from the chicken coop and goat stables – so we could set up an animal, take a few shots, then let them wander off back to their friends.

02 PLAIN BACKDROP

A roll of grey vinyl fixed to two light stands makes a simple, effective backdrop. Vinyl is sturdier than paper and less likely to kink or crease, plus it can be wiped clean after the shoot. In a pinch, you could use a pop-up backdrop, a sheet of black velvet or any other plain material you like.

03 SIDE LIGHT

Our first light is positioned to the right and slightly behind the subject, so it would light the edge of the face in profile. Fitted with a round softbox, the Godox AD300 Pro was fired at half power. Light stands can be easily knocked over by roving goats, so sandbags are a must to weigh them down.

04 FRONT LIGHT

Our second light (another Godox AD300 Pro) was positioned to the left of the camera, fitted with a Wallimex umbrella and set to quarter power to light the front of our subject. If you use multiple lights, take a test shot with each one, as this gives an idea of how they will work in combination.

05 BACK LIGHT

Our third light is a speedlight top left, fired bare at one-third power. This helps to lift the edges of the subject and separate them from the backdrop. Edge lighting can be very effective with fur or feathers, because it helps to accentuate the textures and shape of the subject’s profile.

06 CAMERA SETTINGS

Our EOS camera is in Manual exposure mode with shutter speed 1/200 sec, aperture f/11 and ISO100. This is a good stock exposure to start things off. Once set, it’s best to adjust the light power to suit the exposure, rather than fiddling with camera settings to suit the lights.