Fotozond 2

Sure, you can spend thousands of dollars on studio lighting gear that will help you get great shots. But for about $30, you can pick up a cool lighting accessory – Venetian blinds – that will help you create creative lighting effects even when you are shooting with only one light. I got mine at The Home Depot.

 

 

 

 

First, position the blinds (taped on a reflector/diffuser stand in our behind-the-scenes photo) between the light and the model. Adjust the opening of the slats to vary the lighting effect. Also vary the distance (three feet for our photo) between the light and the blinds.
 

The model shot on the left is a straight shot – no blinds were used. The other two model shots show the effect of varying the size of the openings in the blinds.
 

Keep in mind that you need to experiment to get the desired effects.

Here’s a look at a very basic home studio. It’s a studio that cost about $700, and one that you can set up in about 15 minutes.
 

In the picture of my den, the light on the right is a hot light (constant light source) mounted in a soft box (to diffuse the light). On the left is a reflector, which bounces the light from the hot light onto the opposite side of the subject’s face. In the background is a black piece of cloth, the kind you can pick up at a fabric store. I took the photograph on the left with that simple and affordable set up.

A great way to control the light is to use an accessory flash – preferably off camera, triggered by a wireless remote, for more creative control. Compare these two images, which I took during Carnevale in Venice, Italy.
 

The picture on the left is a flash shot. Notice how well you can see the eyes in that image compared to the natural light shot on the right. The key to using a flash outdoors is to balance the light from the flash to the available light: set your camera on Manual exposure, dial in the correct exposure, and then reduce the output of your flash until harsh shadows are eliminated.
 

Want to learn more about lighting? Check out my books and apps on RickSammon.com.