Studio Lighting Guide

Studio lighting can feel a bit overwhelming when you’re new to it, especially with all the technical challenges like correct light positioning, meter readings, lighting ratios, and so on. The same principles apply to using off camera speedlights on location so learning how to control and manipulate light in a studio is a massively useful skill which is transferrable to photographing in any on-location environment.

The Inverse Square Law

This is the most important physics concept for studio photographers. The inverse square law states: Light intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source.

What that means is that as the distance of the subject from the light source increases, the light intensity decreases at a greater rate than you might expect, so the adjustments required to maintain an accurate exposure are roughly as follows:

• Double the distance = light becomes 1/4 as bright (two stops darker).

• Triple the distance = light becomes 1/9 as bright (roughly three stops darker).

Light Quality

Quality of light refers to the definition of shadows. Hard light is defined by a sharp transition between highlights and shadows, whereas soft light describes a more subtle transition between highlights and shadows. The quality of light is determined by the size of the light source, relative to the size of the subject. On a sunny day with no clouds, the sun seems to be maybe the size of a large coin when measured with an outstretched arm using your fingers, effectively making it a small light source, so the shadows on the ground will be hard and well defined. On an overcast day, the whole sky effectively becomes one big light source and the light is soft and diffused, creating very soft shadows.

One-Light Pattern

Mastering one light is key as many different lighting patterns can be produced using only a single light source. Using modifiers to manipulate that light source is what can dramatically change the effect, but all lighting begins with understanding how to position the key light.

•       Rembrandt: 45° to side, raised high. Look for the light triangle on shadow cheek.

•       Loop: 30–45° to side, elevated. Nose shadow loops down and does not touch cheek shadow.

•       Butterfly/Paramount: Directly in front and above. Shadow forms butterfly shape under nose.

•       Split: 90° to side. Exactly half face lit. Bold and graphic.

•       Short lighting (slimming) vs. broad lighting (widening) applies to all patterns.

Modifiers at a Glance

•       Bare head/small reflector: Hard, dramatic. Use for rim lights and accent.

•       Beauty dish: Semi-specular. Classic for beauty, fashion, and glamour.

•       Small softbox: Versatile, moderate softness. Good all-rounder for portraits.

•       Large softbox: Very soft and flattering. Place close to subject for maximum effect.

•       Strip box: Narrow, directional. Excellent for rim and hair lights.

•       Umbrella (shoot-through): Wide, very soft. Affordable and flexible fill option.

•       White reflector card: Free fill. Bounces key light back into shadows gently.

Using a Light Meter

All cameras have a built in light meter which reads “reflected light”, the light that is reflected from a subject back to the camera. A handheld, external light meter reads “incidental light”, the light that is actually falling on the subject and is a much more accurate way of measuring light, especially when using off camera flash. Learning how to use a light meter is an important skill for any photographer who wants to control studio lighting.

All of this is covered in my studio lighting workshop, but if you’ve ever felt like you need a quick reference guide, I’ve created this quick guide to help you out, which includes a couple of basic lighting diagrams. Just click the link below to view and save a free .pdf file.