Minimalist lighting setup for your amazing portrait photography
By: Lana Tsiupko
Tags: Portrait Photography, Lighting, Minimalism, Portraits, Splento

Keeping lighting to a minimum for great portraits

Every photographer wants to capture the most amazing portrait photography, and a secret to achieving this is using lights to their advantage. Lights enable you to capture the hidden beauty that people hold. Minimising your lighting will have a dramatic effect on your results.

Experiment for yourself, with either a one or two light set up, and see the difference it makes.

Photography lighting setup for beginners

Understand the importance of lighting position

Where your lighting is placed will affect how the photo will appear.

Positioning the light in front of the model will usually give out a flat image with no depth.

Moving the light a tiny bit to the side will add some texture through the shadows that it will create. The more you move the light to the side, the more dramatic the picture will become, and the deep shadows will give out moody undertones.

Placing the light behind the subject will give an angelic look as the subject will look silhouetted.

Remember, if the photographer uses natural light, such as the sun, they will have to move the subject around. However, using artificial lighting, the photographer will have to change the position of the light, depending on what tone they want to gain from their photography.

Soft Light vs. Hard Light

Each light will give out a different quality, and depending on what the photographer wants from the photo will affect what type of lighting they want.

A soft light will create few shadows casting over the subject’s face or around them, and there will also be a blend between light and shadow.

This type of lighting is seen as natural as it gives a welcoming look to the photo.

The sun and spotlight are known as hard lights. Photography that uses hard light has harsher shadows, and the contrast between shadow and light is more noticeable. This type of lighting is perfect to use if the photographer wants a tone of moodiness or even fear.

Start by shooting in natural light

The sun and moon can play a vital role when it comes to photography light setup. And using the source of natural light to understand how this element influences how a photo will look is a great place to start. Although the photographer cannot move the light source, they can learn a lot from using the sun or moon for portrait lighting.

Experiment with changing the time of your photoshoots, try some in the morning, some in the afternoon, as well as during dusk. Also, step inside and use the natural light through a window. Doing this will mean some of the sunlight is blocked, but the result will have a different outcome than photographing outside.

Another idea to consider is using the sun during different weather conditions; don’t always photograph outside when it’s a bright day. This type of light is harsh, and the shadows will be stronger than on an overcast day, where the sun has to fight its way through the clouds.

And remember, move your subject around. Have some images taken with the sun behind, and others with it to one side, or even facing the camera..

More than One Light

Each time a photographer takes out their kit and sets it up, they learn something new, and the more they understand how impacting lights can be. There will be a stage of a photographer’s life where they will venture out and use multiple light sources. Using more than one strobe will give the photographer the chance to control every area of lighting. They will be able to control where to highlight a subject’s face and have the shadows fall.

Having two strobe lights, one on each side of the camera at a 45-degree angle produces a soft shadow and depth and won’t have the harsh lines that can ruin a photo.

However, with minimal soft lighting, remember that you will achieve some great shots that will not be possible with a more standard two-light setup.

Photography lighting techniques

There are many different lighting techniques, and depending on what you want your photograph to say will affect the placement of the lights and what technique you will use.

Profile/Rim lighting

For this technique, you will use rim lighting and place it behind the subject; if you want to try this outside, you can use the sun — but remember it will work better when the sun is setting. Doing this will give the subject definition as well as separating them from the background. You will most likely need more than one light if you want to avoid a harsh outline.

This type of photography is often used for sports portraits, as it creates a heroic look.

Split lighting

This lighting setup for portrait photography tends to give a unique, dramatic look — it’s not as common as the other techniques. Placing the main light at a 90-degree angle to the side of the model will result in the subject having a half-lit face whilst shadows cover the other half. This type of lighting is ideal for moody portraits — but be aware that it is not always flattering.

Butterfly lighting

The name comes after the butterfly shadow under the subject’s nose. This results in creating a dramatic shadow around the cheekbones, and using this technique is known to be flattering for anyone.

Create this look by positioning the light above and directly behind the camera as it points down towards the model.

Rembrandt lighting

To try this technique, a photographer will have to position the light up and to the side and stop adjusting the light once the subject’s nose and cheek shadows touch — this gives out a moody and edgy tone.

Board lighting

This lighting setup is regularly used for portraits/headshots. Position the subject and make sure the side of their face closest to the camera has light shining on it. The only downside of this technique is that it can result in the subject’s face looking wider than normal.

Lighting for portrait photography at home can be done by using any of these techniques. Make sure that the background is clear and not too cluttered with objects. A few ideal types of artificial light that a photographer should consider are strobe lighting — they are strong lights, but using more than one, as mentioned before, can bring balance and create a soft look.

Ring lights are perfect to use at home, and they can help cast a strong light on the subject.

A flashgun can be used for many types of photography, including portraits. However, flashes can be very powerful — often too much. To diffuse the harshness of light, use a diffuser. These modifiers are great for beginners as it helps create a soft quality of light while illuminating the subject.