USING INDOOR LIGHT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE IN PORTRAITURE

Jake Kehar Gill (JAKEKEHARGILL.COM) explains how to craft interior lighting

1

FIND YOUR SPACE

Locate a place in your home or office to shoot – we have chosen a simple light-walled space. Consider the colour of your wall as this will help reflect or absorb light. The lighting will be easier to control if you’re away from a window.

2

DETERMINE INCANDESCENT LIGHTING

We will use lighting that you can find in any home. These lamps are 60W, however, we can compensate with our camera settings. Consider what you can find – car headlights or even a street light outside your home.

3

ASSEMBLE THE SET

We have removed the lampshades and balanced them carefully on a couple of light stands. This is a DIY set-up, so get creative and think of ways to orchestrate your lighting. Feel free to use furniture, tape, blu tack and extension cables.

4

BLOCK OUT THE BLUE

As we use incandescent lighting (yellow), we want to avoid any outside (blue) light interfering with our set-up. A black sheet on the window side of the room will make the lighting easier to control and avoid unbalanced colours.

5

REFLECT THE GOLD

A gold reflector will emphasise yellow tones and help achieve a more flattering image. Have your subject hold the reflector, so the lighting bounces directly onto their face. Our white balance is on auto for a good temperature balance.

6

FOLLOW THE LIGHT

Observe your hand in the light – there should be a good balance of highlights and shadows. Use the light as a material to sculpt your subject. Take time to find what’s flattering on your model; use one light source for a more dramatic look.