Lighting Tutorial

CMoore · Mar 9, 2019

There are a BUNCH on Youtube, and i have watched a few of them.
Do you guys have links to any of your Favorites.?
It is something that i have wanted to do for a long time, and now i will finally have room to set up a small "studio".

Anyway........Studio lighting for a beginner.
If there are any Youtube Links that you would like to share, i would be happy (i am sure others would as well) to save a few so i could use them as an ongoing reference.....and inspiration.

I suppose what i am mostly interested in, as a beginner, are the different types of lighting, and how to best Use/Place them.
Thank You Very Much

WilmarcoImaging · Mar 9, 2019

Manufacturer websites are good: Sekonic, Profoto, others. Adorama's site also has good lighting videos.

mark · Mar 10, 2019

This guy makes it look doable. And he is clearly having a good time.

https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL821B7D720DEA39FA

AgX · Mar 10, 2019

There have been good books on lighting since about the thirties. These books typically offer the various set-ups with photographs to compare and the respective set-up sketches.
Something I expect videos not to offer. (I never watched a respective video...)

AgX · Mar 12, 2019

I meanwhile looked at some current books, and it seems that the presentation of a range of lighting set-up on one person with resp. sketches is meanwhile a thing of the past...

M Carter · Mar 14, 2019

I've seen lots and lots of websites and videos where they use basic 3D modeling to show the setup from different angles - it's very common out there.

mark · Mar 15, 2019

AgX said:
I meanwhile looked at some current books, and it seems that the presentation of a range of lighting set-up on one person with resp. sketches is meanwhile a thing of the past...

That is because they went video. IMO a better way to learn about these things.

AgX · Mar 15, 2019

I prefer (old...) books on such issues, as these present side by side presentations. But yes, something basically still possible within a video.
Furthermore it is much easier to flip through a book than a video.

trendland · Mar 15, 2019

CMoore said:
There are a BUNCH on Youtube, and i have watched a few of them.
Do you guys have links to any of your Favorites.?
It is something that i have wanted to do for a long time, and now i will finally have room to set up a small "studio".

Anyway........Studio lighting for a beginner.
If there are any Youtube Links that you would like to share, i would be happy (i am sure others would as well) to save a few so i could use them as an ongoing reference.....and inspiration.

I suppose what i am mostly interested in, as a beginner, are the different types of lighting, and how to best Use/Place them.
Thank You Very Much

There allways was the " newest hyype" concerning lighting caused from new equipment!
But this will hell you noting if you have a lack of experience with lighting!
From my point a real lack of experience concerning lighting is not a problem!
That's a good starting point! Better than to learn the wrong workflow from wrong videos - and the resulting plague over many years to do it wrong - because you learned it wrong and hold this workflow for corectness lighting!
with regards

Oldschool books about lighting are more correct as one may imagine!

removed account4 · Mar 15, 2019

strobist is a good starting point too.
he even has inexpensive "kits" that include
the radio unit and lights sold at midwest (mpex )..
worth the look...

Michael Firstlight · Mar 15, 2019

The problem with YouTube videos is they don't go into near enough depth; the majority just skim the surface of a topic or sub-topic and don't provide the concepts and foundations you really need. Books are good, but you don't get all the logic and caveats you really need from books alone; I have a whole stack of books and videos on lighting - it's good to have a small library of them on hand.

Many experienced folks will reference Light, Science, and Magic - which I think is an essential reference on light to have in your library. If you are into speedlights, Joe McNally's Hot Shoe Diaries is another good book, but I prefer a pair of books on speedlights written by Neil van Niekerk - On-Camera Flash and Off-Camera Flash, each of which provide a basic understanding and foundation. By the way, Neil is the inventor ot the Black Foamy Thing (BFT) - the cheapest and one of the most useful light modifier for a speedlight.

If you want a lot of good information for free, go to the Stobist blog (https://strobist.blogspot.com/). For a place to ask questions and get a whole bunch of responses (some good, some not, but you'll get answers, go to the lighting discussion forum in dPreview.

If you are into studio portraiture the best book I own isn't even a book - its freaking thick lighting manual called Studio Lighting Made Simple by Scott Smith that you can't buy online anymore from Scott, but I see one copy is available used on Amazon (and three times the original price used - that's how good it is: https://www.amazon.com/Studio-Lighting-Simple-Scott-Smith/dp/B01DSGLCVI It's worth the price, I'll never part with my only copy, and want to be buried with it.

But I've saved the best for last. The best $49 you could EVER spend on an real studio lighting course is on this online class taught by Tony Corbell, Light Shaping Tools for Professional Photographers.and any of his other classes on Creative Live (I've seen the class go on sale for $29 on occasion and have since taken an annual subscription for virtually all of the classes on Creative Live- a gold mine. I took a variety week-long in-person training classes over the year from several top pros including Tony. ony is someone in the industry who may pros consider one of the best lighting teachers in the world. Tony learned from the lighting greats - Dean Collins, Monte Zucker, and most of the the top pro portrait photographers that we'd often see take classes/sessions with at the annual State and regional professional photographer conferences. You won't be disappointed - no YouTube video can match the many modules and many ours you get (including lifetime access). Tony is just the clearest, easiest to understand lighting instructor you'll likely ever experience, hands down. .

Regards,
Mike

trendland · Mar 15, 2019

Michael Firstlight said:
The problem with YouTube videos is they don't go into near enough depth; the majority just skim the surface of a topic or sub-topic and don't provide the concepts and foundations you really need. Books are good, but you don't get all the logic and caveats you really need from books alone; I have a whole stack of books and videos on lighting - it's good to have a small library of them on hand.

Many experienced folks will reference Light, Science, and Magic - which I think is an essential reference on light to have in your library. If you are into speedlights, Joe McNally's Hot Shoe Diaries is another good book, but I prefer a pair of books on speedlights written by Neil van Niekerk - On-Camera Flash and Off-Camera Flash, each of which provide a basic understanding and foundation. By the way, Neil is the inventor ot the Black Foamy Thing (BFT) - the cheapest and one of the most useful light modifier for a speedlight.

If you want a lot of good information for free, go to the Stobist blog (https://strobist.blogspot.com/). For a place to ask questions and get a whole bunch of responses (some good, some not, but you'll get answers, go to the lighting discussion forum in dPreview.

If you are into studio portraiture the best book I own isn't even a book - its freaking thick lighting manual called Studio Lighting Made Simple by Scott Smith that you can't buy online anymore from Scott, but I see one copy is available used on Amazon (and three times the original price used - that's how good it is: https://www.amazon.com/Studio-Lighting-Simple-Scott-Smith/dp/B01DSGLCVI It's worth the price, I'll never part with my only copy, and want to be buried with it.

But I've saved the best for last. The best $49 you could EVER spend on an real studio lighting course is on this online class taught by Tony Corbell, Light Shaping Tools for Professional Photographers.and any of his other classes on Creative Live. I took a variety week-long in-person training classes over the year from several top pros including Tony. ony is someone in the industry who may pros consider one of the best lighting teachers in the world. Tony learned from the lighting greats - Dean Collins, Monte Zucker, and most of the the top pro portrait photographers that we'd often see take classes/sessions with at the annual State and regional professional photographer conferences. You won't be disappointed - no YouTube video can match the many modules and many ours you get (including lifetime access). Tony is just the clearest, easiest to understand lighting instructor you'll likely ever experience, hands down. .

Regards,
Mike

Mike pls. tell me (from having a real library of books) what is the profit to the wise?
And I have the feeling you belongs to the group of the wise!
Do you realy trust to use "wrong lighting" from the background of experience others made for you?
What chance is wasted then?

with regards

PS : I know lots of pros. with wrong workflow (special in lighting)! Perhaps there is a faillure by myself - there workflow is correct but I am...........

?
Seriously it is 50/50 the real half of them didn't notice their own failures !
The rest is able to know - and for sure they know - but their lighting is INCORRECT per intention!
(The last group is earning the most money from best reputation!)
So there is wrong lighting allowed? For sure - I will state! But you can't say : " OK then I will get best reputation because my lighting is indeed real lousy - never change a winning team - I will stand with my failures! Why not ? : BECAUSE THAT SEAMS TO BE TOO EASY!
I have the illusion at last No book and of cause No video can help you to become good as a photographer or good in lighting!
Every talented child with real interest to such issues is able to become superior!
All others can read all the worlds book about - but in the longer term it will not help so much!
Special if some "bad books" have to be noticed!
Do you agree?

trendland · Mar 15, 2019

CMoore said:
There are a BUNCH on Youtube, and i have watched a few of them.
Do you guys have links to any of your Favorites.?
It is something that i have wanted to do for a long time, and now i will finally have room to set up a small "studio".

Anyway........Studio lighting for a beginner.
If there are any Youtube Links that you would like to share, i would be happy (i am sure others would as well) to save a few so i could use them as an ongoing reference.....and inspiration.

I suppose what i am mostly interested in, as a beginner, are the different types of lighting, and how to best Use/Place them.
Thank You Very Much

Sorry C.Moore I " just noticed" you started a new thread in a simular question! It was a bit too late to notice it for me! Before I just wonder about : "Is it the same ?"
Sorry for delay it is just the same...!

OK in the first thread you asked about a good video - here you asked about a good book!
Well done ! I guess you have just get a real list of substanced books about lighting!

with regards

PS : If you want to know : how is the approach without reading a single book ask "Trendland" again!
I would state : to some it seams to be the best way to read a book at first after this starting the practice. To others it may be the best way to start with practice (without knowing what to do)
after years of experience they have a short look to books and wonder about - it was indeed correct!
Damned : I made it right all the long years .....!
PPS :Many ways are to Rome - never mind!

CMoore · Mar 15, 2019

Michael Firstlight said:
The problem with YouTube videos is they don't go into near enough depth; the majority just skim the surface of a topic or sub-topic and don't provide the concepts and foundations you really need. Books are good, but you don't get all the logic and caveats you really need from books alone; I have a whole stack of books and videos on lighting - it's good to have a small library of them on hand.

Many experienced folks will reference Light, Science, and Magic - which I think is an essential reference on light to have in your library. If you are into speedlights, Joe McNally's Hot Shoe Diaries is another good book, but I prefer a pair of books on speedlights written by Neil van Niekerk - On-Camera Flash and Off-Camera Flash, each of which provide a basic understanding and foundation. By the way, Neil is the inventor ot the Black Foamy Thing (BFT) - the cheapest and one of the most useful light modifier for a speedlight.

If you want a lot of good information for free, go to the Stobist blog (https://strobist.blogspot.com/). For a place to ask questions and get a whole bunch of responses (some good, some not, but you'll get answers, go to the lighting discussion forum in dPreview.

If you are into studio portraiture the best book I own isn't even a book - its freaking thick lighting manual called Studio Lighting Made Simple by Scott Smith that you can't buy online anymore from Scott, but I see one copy is available used on Amazon (and three times the original price used - that's how good it is: https://www.amazon.com/Studio-Lighting-Simple-Scott-Smith/dp/B01DSGLCVI It's worth the price, I'll never part with my only copy, and want to be buried with it.

But I've saved the best for last. The best $49 you could EVER spend on an real studio lighting course is on this online class taught by Tony Corbell, Light Shaping Tools for Professional Photographers.and any of his other classes on Creative Live (I've seen the class go on sale for $29 on occasion and have since taken an annual subscription for virtually all of the classes on Creative Live- a gold mine. I took a variety week-long in-person training classes over the year from several top pros including Tony. ony is someone in the industry who may pros consider one of the best lighting teachers in the world. Tony learned from the lighting greats - Dean Collins, Monte Zucker, and most of the the top pro portrait photographers that we'd often see take classes/sessions with at the annual State and regional professional photographer conferences. You won't be disappointed - no YouTube video can match the many modules and many ours you get (including lifetime access). Tony is just the clearest, easiest to understand lighting instructor you'll likely ever experience, hands down. .

Regards,
Mike

Thank You -
That, or those, video by Tony Corbell look like a pretty affordable video alternative for a beginner like myself.
Books are invaluable, especially as a reference source. You can look back and refer to them over and over again.
But for a beginner there is nothing like a classroom to help you understand.....even a "Video Classroom".
Some people have a lot of intellectual horsepower, and they are very intuitive. Those guys can read, or be told something and take it from there.
God Help Me, i am just not that smart. I need to see something, even if it is just a diagram on a chalkboard, happen in order to learn. So a classroom, of any type is a big plus for me.
Thanks Again

trendland · Mar 15, 2019

CMoore said:
Thank You -
That, or those, video by Tony Corbell look like a pretty affordable video alternative for a beginner like myself.
Books are invaluable, especially as a reference source. You can look back and refer to them over and over again.
But for a beginner there is nothing like a classroom to help you understand.....even a "Video Classroom".
Some people have a lot of intellectual horsepower, and they are very intuitive. Those guys can read, or be told something and take it from there.
God Help Me, i am just not that smart. I need to see something, even if it is just a diagram on a chalkboard, happen in order to learn. So a classroom, of any type is a big plus for me.
Thanks Again

No one sould be not that smart to state that he is not that smart
- may be intelectual horse power could be damaged from such self critic!
Bon Chance

M Carter · Mar 15, 2019

I learned a mountain of studio lighting techniques as an art director for a big national retailer; I worked in fashion (apparel/jewelry) and consumer electronics. Watching pros work (and already having a good foundation in exposure and so on) was really eye-opening. The way most professionals came up was by assisting really good shooters - there are so many tricks and ideas they don't teach in college courses, but with the growth of YouTube and blogs, there is much more info than when I started shooting commercially myself (in The 90's).

But really learning to light comes down to 2 things (opinion alert) - having an affinity for image-making where seeing how a grid vs. a softbox vs. a fresnel vs. a giant panel looks and understanding it intuitively - already having sort of the same DNA that separates great painters and artists and shooters from the rest - seems to be a primary thing that takes someone from serviceable to masterful. If you have a bit (or a lot of that) and you also have the drive/obsession to learn it and practice it, you can do well; and the 2nd factor is having access to the techniques and gear it takes to produce whatever lighting you envision.

In the past, that access (in my experience) came from spending a lot of time in a good commercial studio, assisting or directing; nowadays, the amount of teaching available on the web mixed with the explosion of more affordable gear (and digital cameras to speed up the learning process exponentially) seem to have democratized that part of things. So if you have part "A" (intuition and the drive to learn), part "B" (access to know-how and gear) is much easier to come by. I've seen people excel at creative pursuits through sheer desire and force-of-will, too... you can never underestimate passion and desire.

RalphLambrecht · Mar 15, 2019

CMoore said:
There are a BUNCH on Youtube, and i have watched a few of them.
Do you guys have links to any of your Favorites.?
It is something that i have wanted to do for a long time, and now i will finally have room to set up a small "studio".

Anyway........Studio lighting for a beginner.
If there are any Youtube Links that you would like to share, i would be happy (i am sure others would as well) to save a few so i could use them as an ongoing reference.....and inspiration.

I suppose what i am mostly interested in, as a beginner, are the different types of lighting, and how to best Use/Place them.
Thank You Very Much

sorry no you tube but...

Michael Firstlight · Mar 15, 2019

trendland said:
Mike pls. tell me (from having a real library of books) what is the profit to the wise?
And I have the feeling you belongs to the group of the wise!
Do you realy trust to use "wrong lighting" from the background of experience others made for you?
What chance is wasted then?

with regards

PS : I know lots of pros. with wrong workflow (special in lighting)! Perhaps there is a faillure by myself - there workflow is correct but I am...........?
Seriously it is 50/50 the real half of them didn't notice their own failures !
The rest is able to know - and for sure they know - but their lighting is INCORRECT per intention!
(The last group is earning the most money from best reputation!)
So there is wrong lighting allowed? For sure - I will state! But you can't say : " OK then I will get best reputation because my lighting is indeed real lousy - never change a winning team - I will stand with my failures! Why not ? : BECAUSE THAT SEAMS TO BE TOO EASY!
I have the illusion at last No book and of cause No video can help you to become good as a photographer or good in lighting!
Every talented child with real interest to such issues is able to become superior!
All others can read all the worlds book about - but in the longer term it will not help so much!
Special if some "bad books" have to be noticed!
Do you agree?

I am not an interpreter, so I am not at all clear what you are asking - but I'll take a shot. If you are ask if I 'follow the rules' that I've learned from others, the answer is sometimes yes, and sometimes no. I love breaking the rules, but the laws of physics are not debatable. One must first understand facts and rules before breaking breaking or breaking them is only random chance with the absence of intent. For example, how would one ever break a rule that is affected by the efficiency of a light source by its placement on an arc relative to the camera position? Not many pros even know that fun fact of the physics of light under a specific circumstance, but knowing it allows one to use that knowledge to achieve what is in the mind's eye - which may require knowing that detail and then applying it unconventionally - breaking the conventions and enabling intentional originality.

Mike

trendland · Mar 16, 2019

M Carter said:
The way most professionals came up was by assisting really good shooters - there are so many tricks and ideas they don't teach in college courses,

Absolute right (just from my point) !
And I have an idea - there is often much much more you can't learn at film school!
In the normal case (exeptions are allways possible)!
It has not so much to do with the time you spent at filmschool! Some assistance time can last a full
decade - but at filmscchool (2 - 4 years) there should be also enough time.
It has not to do with the issues wich has to be teached there - the theory is clear - there is no interpretation of wrong issues! Practice is also given - it is real expensive with all the years investment for modern equipment.
But (to me) it should have to do with the teachers (they don't came from the practice - and high paied pros. are interisted to work - and not to teach).

with regards

PS : Wow is it for example if you have spent several years as an assistent with bad pros?
That would make no sence - because you may learn everything in a wrong way and become later
also a "bad pros." (from insulficient reputation)?
Not in every case - because from pros. with insuficent reputation you can learn very much in a short time : How not to work!

trendland · Mar 16, 2019

Michael Firstlight said:
I love breaking the rules, but the laws of physics are not debatable. One must first understand facts and rules before breaking breaking or breaking them is only random chance with the absence of intent. For example, how would one ever break a rule that is affected by the efficiency of a light source by its placement on an arc relative to the camera position?

That is fine Mike I realy agree with you! Rules should ALLWAYS be the "first step" but how to proceed
(to find his personal own way) is a central key!
And this is not easy - it is a big task! And it can not be learned!

with regards

CMoore · Mar 17, 2019

Greg Davis said:
One pro out there making good lighting videos for all levels of skill is Karl Taylor. He promotes his paid site a lot, but his YouTube has a few available. He explains the lighting setup and theory.

I will give him a watch..... Thank You

CMoore · Mar 18, 2019

Maybe i should have started another post, but........this stuff is All New to me.
Will i have any problem or need to Do/Buy anything extra to sync a circa 1975 SLR with modern day Monolights or other modern studio lighting equipment.?
Thank You

MattKing · Mar 18, 2019

CMoore said:
Maybe i should have started another post, but........this stuff is All New to me.
Will i have any problem or need to Do/Buy anything extra to sync a circa 1975 SLR with modern day Monolights or other modern studio lighting equipment.?
Thank You

No.
Other than either an appropriate cord or remote trigger. Depends a bit on whether you have a "Prontor-Compur" (aka PC) socket on the 1975 SLR. The right cord might come with the monolight. The monolight might have a built-in receiver that will work with some transmitters.
If you are going to use a remote trigger, you need one that you can connect easily to your camera. Some triggers require use with a hot shoe, while others can also be used with a PC cord. In some cases, the PC cord connection is an extra cost accessory for the trigger.

CMoore · Mar 18, 2019

Per Usual..... Thank You

AgX · Mar 18, 2019

I assume current standard with monoblocks is the trias of choices: cable/light-sensor/radio-control

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