Studio Lighting Basics

• Setting up a photography studio may seem like a daunting task, but applying a few basic techniques with minimal equipment can enhance your photographs. Start out with two lights to decrease shadows and vary the direction of the light. For optimal quality, place one strobe light to illuminate the subject and use the second light on the background. Lights can be placed either on the floor or ceiling and special mounting equipment or stands are needed to hold the lights steady. Background material can be used to enhance or reflect light. The most common and practical background is a roll of paper that comes in widths of 53 inches, 107 inches and 140 inches.
  
  

Hot and Cold

• Studio lighting can be broken down into two categories. Hot lights, or tungsten or Metal Halide Iodide (MHI), are continuous lights and have a great deal of versatility. They are fairly easy to adjust and need minimal additional equipment like light meters. However, they live up to their name and can create enough heat to set paper on fire. Cold lights, or strobes, on the other hand, require more practice and are harder to adjust, but they also give you the ability to shoot special effects and use more complicated compositions.
  
  

Natural Light

• Natural lighting can enhance studio photography as well as being the sole source for outdoor photography. It does, however, come with its own set of considerations. Because you have minimal control of outdoor light, you may have to rely on some of your camera's features to achieve the best effects. If you are working with digital, adjust the white balance to cut down on the blueish tint that sometimes occurs in natural light. If you're using film, use daylight balance film for optimal results. The best time to shoot in natural light is one hour after sunrise and an hour before sunset, but if you must photograph in bright light, keep the sun at your back or wait until a cloud partially obscures the sun. You can also use natural light to enhance studio photography with good results; however, strobes are difficult to adjust with the changing light source.