---
tags: tool-time
---

# Lighting & Portraits

### 1. Rembrandt / Chiaroscuro Lighting

**What you'll need**
- [ ] A Stills Camera – check the Canon drawer!
- [ ] A Telephoto Lens (generally between 70-85mm)
- [ ] 1-3 Lighting Sources
- [ ] A Subject
- [ ] A Reflector / Negative fill (depending on location)

You'll want to set up your strongest lighting source at about a 45º angle off sideways and slightly above eye-level from your subject. If you have two sources, position the second one 180º opposite of the first source (also slightly above eye-level) as a back light; if you have three sources, dim or soften the third and place it 45º off from the subject on the opposite side of the first light. In essence, you're creating a partial or full three-point lighting setup. You can also substitue the third source with a reflector -- a plain white or silver board or piece of paper that bounces light back at the subject.

The first light source, the "key," is the brightest and lights most of the subject's face. Placing the key at an angle produces shadows that help define the face; in particular, the goal of this setup is for the shadow of the nose to leave a triangle of light on the subject's opposite cheek. The back light (or "rim light") highlights the edge of your subject opposite the key light, which separates your subject from the background.

Lastly, the fill light or reflector opposite the key light should be fairly dim; just bright enough to fill in a bit of the shadows on the subject's face.

**The Camera**

Even after you light your subject, you'll need to set the camera's settings:


All three will affect brightness of the image, with the settings on the left of the figure above being darker.

**Aperture** controls the "blur" outside of whatever's in focus. Small apertures mean lots of blur *(shallow depth of field)*. You'll want a small aperture, so set it somewhere between F1.4-F4.

**Shutter speed** determines how long the shutter is open as the photo is being taken. To capture a moving subject, for example, you'd need a fast shutter speed, or else you'd get motion blur. If you have a tripod, you can use a slow shutter speed. But if you're holding the camera, the camera shakes can cause motion blur, so you'd want a fast shutter speed.

**ISO** is your go-to-tool for adjusting brightness. It changes the sensor's receptiveness to light. Higher ISOs mean the sensor will still register light in dark settings, but you'll get what's called **grain** as a result. I'd choose an ISO between 800-3200.

### 2. Adding Color

**What you'll need**
- [ ] 2 or more color gels
- [ ] *(optional: A blank background to light)*

To add visual interest to your portrait, you can cover two or more of the light sources with colored gels to tint them. This usually works best with colors that go well together, e.g. blue and orange, yellow and purple, pink and red, etc.

### 3. Eye light

**What you'll need**
- [ ] A small LED light

Let's add a sparkle to the subject's eye!

This light should not be close or powerful enough to light the subject's face. What we want to do is have it picked up only by the subject's eyes. A good way to do this is to attach the eye light right above the camera.

### 4. "The Spielberg"

**What you'll need**
- [ ] A fog machine
- [ ] One or more lights with a wide spill (think: flood light)
- [ ] More color gels
- [ ] Optional additional light sources as desired

Shooting a light through fog creates a cinematic atmosphere, adding mystery and depth to an image. It's a favorite technique of Steven Spielberg, and we can apply it ourselves.