Simple Yet Effective Lighting Setup

My previous post contained a behind the scenes video of a photo session I did for a friend’s event models agency. He wanted me to photograph 15 of his girls in a uniform way, so that he could use the pictures for his website and printed material. All pictures had to look the same to be consistent.

We looked at the options and settled for a simple yet professional lighting scheme which works well photographing women. The lighting setup I describe below makes them look young and dynamic, and the photos are nice. For some of the girls we also used a wind machine.

I also made sure they had a good time, had some drinks, smiled a lot and enjoyed the experience, as you see in the session video. Some of them had never been photographed before! Here is a quick selection. You can see the rest at hostessenpool.de.

The Lighting Setup

The key light comes from a strobe above the camera equiped with a grid. It gives a strong light and focuses on the face and upper body of the model. The remaining lights (hair light and strip lights on the back) are there to create highlights around their bodies, emphasizing curves. The gobos create shadows to improve contrast and accentuate the highlights.

Give the lighting setup a try and don’t forget to show me the results!