Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography I.

People Lighting People Lighting

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Copyright © 2003 – 2009 Kenji TachibanaCopyright © 2003 – 2009 Kenji Tachibana

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IPeople Lighting:People Lighting:

RRecommendations:ecommendations:

QualityQuality Use a broad source (usually much larger Use a broad source (usually much larger than the subject) light such as Open-Shade than the subject) light such as Open-Shade found under a tree, next to a big structure, found under a tree, next to a big structure, or under an overhang of a covered walkway or under an overhang of a covered walkway or porch. Broad source light also means soft or porch. Broad source light also means soft shadows.shadows.

Avoid direct sunlight which is a point source and Avoid direct sunlight which is a point source and results in hard shadows.results in hard shadows.

QuantityQuantity Limit your light to a single source. You must Limit your light to a single source. You must pay close attention to this especially in the pay close attention to this especially in the real world where multiple light source is the real world where multiple light source is the default condition. default condition.

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IPeople Lighting:People Lighting:

WWarning: Don’t use…arning: Don’t use…

a)a) Direct sunlight, indoor incandescent, quartz, or Direct sunlight, indoor incandescent, quartz, or fluorescent because they are usually too dim, fluorescent because they are usually too dim, harsh, and poor color.harsh, and poor color.

b)b) Multiple light sources situations due to possible Multiple light sources situations due to possible ugly shadows and impossible to correct mixed ugly shadows and impossible to correct mixed color conditions.color conditions.

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IPeople Lighting: DiagramsPeople Lighting: Diagrams

LLighting Direction:ighting Direction:

Use side-light to draw the forms on the face. Avoid the ‘flat’ front or Use side-light to draw the forms on the face. Avoid the ‘flat’ front or ‘harsh’ top direction light . Also avoid light coming from the extreme ‘harsh’ top direction light . Also avoid light coming from the extreme side. Please study the light direction diagrams below.side. Please study the light direction diagrams below.

Side ViewSide View Top ViewTop View

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IPeople Lighting:People Lighting:

MMore Recommendations:ore Recommendations:

Squint-ViewSquint-View Use it to see the kind of light and it’s direction. Use it to see the kind of light and it’s direction. Also, make sure the light is rendering your Also, make sure the light is rendering your subject and scene properly.subject and scene properly.

CoverageCoverage Light for important facial and body details. But Light for important facial and body details. But avoid highlighting the ear and other distracting avoid highlighting the ear and other distracting features. And make sure that it’s also working in features. And make sure that it’s also working in balance with the background.balance with the background.

HeightHeight The catch light will give you clues to the correct The catch light will give you clues to the correct height. If it’s too high, the eye(s) may be in height. If it’s too high, the eye(s) may be in shadow and without catch light.shadow and without catch light.

ShadowsShadows One sign of good lighting is not to notice any One sign of good lighting is not to notice any shadows. Shadows will be there but they make shadows. Shadows will be there but they make sense…sense…

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IPeople Lighting:People Lighting:

FFinal Recommendationsinal Recommendations::

RelativeRelative Be familiar with lighting rules but don’t ‘light Be familiar with lighting rules but don’t ‘light by the numbers’. Light using your eyes. Use by the numbers’. Light using your eyes. Use the light to draw form and create beauty. the light to draw form and create beauty. Most people know when they see beauty.Most people know when they see beauty.

SkylightSkylight Use the broad, soft, and easy to work with Use the broad, soft, and easy to work with light source. Make sure it is coming from the light source. Make sure it is coming from the subject’s side but don’t get too extreme. subject’s side but don’t get too extreme. Extreme side light will not produce catch Extreme side light will not produce catch light.light.

IndoorIndoor Artificial light is not recommended. They are Artificial light is not recommended. They are usually too hard and Auto WB will have usually too hard and Auto WB will have difficulty achieving neutral or appealing color.difficulty achieving neutral or appealing color.

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IPeople Lighting: Relevant factsPeople Lighting: Relevant facts

AArtificial Lighting: Light fall offrtificial Lighting: Light fall off

It’s usually too dim for most people shooting purposes. It’s usually too dim for most people shooting purposes. And finding it as a single light source situation will be And finding it as a single light source situation will be challenging. It also suffers from a hard to work with challenging. It also suffers from a hard to work with characteristic called light-falloff.characteristic called light-falloff.

As expected, light loses brightness (luminance) with As expected, light loses brightness (luminance) with distance. But it’s predictable. And the predictability distance. But it’s predictable. And the predictability matches the aperture numbers as shown below…matches the aperture numbers as shown below…

2.82.8 ft ft.. – 1 stop – 1 stop lossloss –– 44 ft ft. . – 1 stop – 1 stop lossloss –– 5.65.6 ft ft. . – 1 stop – 1 stop lossloss –– 88 ft ft..

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IPeople Lighting: Relevant factsPeople Lighting: Relevant facts

LLight Falloff: Mapped to F/stop numbersight Falloff: Mapped to F/stop numbers

Light sourceLight source : : 2.8’ away2.8’ away.. – 1 stop – 1 stop lossloss –– 4’ away4’ away – 1 stop – 1 stop lossloss –– 5.6’ away5.6’ away

Whether using artificial house (indoor) light or electronic Whether using artificial house (indoor) light or electronic flash, the falloff rules are the same. Light decrease in flash, the falloff rules are the same. Light decrease in brightness in a predictable way which can be mapped brightness in a predictable way which can be mapped to the aperture numbers.to the aperture numbers.

This predictability is very handy when working with an This predictability is very handy when working with an auxiliary electronic flash… in the future?auxiliary electronic flash… in the future?

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IPeople Lighting: Useful factsPeople Lighting: Useful facts

LLight Falloff: Distancesight Falloff: Distances

Range of Range of 2.8’ to 4’2.8’ to 4’ 1-stop light loss in 1-stop light loss in 1.2 feet1.2 feet

4’ to 5.6’ 4’ to 5.6’ 1.6 feet1.6 feet

5.6’ to 8’ 5.6’ to 8’ 2.4 feet2.4 feet

8’ to 11’ 8’ to 11’ 3.0 feet3.0 feet

11’ to 16’ 11’ to 16’ 5.0 feet5.0 feet

16’ to 22’ 16’ to 22’ 6.0 feet6.0 feet

22’ to 32’22’ to 32’ 10 feet10 feet

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IPeople Lighting: Useful factsPeople Lighting: Useful facts

LLight Falloff: Useable subject/light distance rangesight Falloff: Useable subject/light distance ranges

5.6’ to 8’ = 2.4’ – 7’ is the bare minimum light distance5.6’ to 8’ = 2.4’ – 7’ is the bare minimum light distance

8’ to 11’ = 3’ 8’ to 11’ = 3’ – 10’ is the minimum light distance– 10’ is the minimum light distance

11’ to 16’ = 5’ 11’ to 16’ = 5’ - 14’ is a good working distance - 14’ is a good working distance

16’ to 22’ = 6’16’ to 22’ = 6’ - 19’ result in too much light loss- 19’ result in too much light loss

14’ might be a good working distance for the light. But 14’ might be a good working distance for the light. But unless you are using high powered photo floods or unless you are using high powered photo floods or studio type electronic flash, the light level is probably studio type electronic flash, the light level is probably too low.too low.

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IBackground: Background:

BBackground: Remindersackground: Reminders

1.1. Keep it simple.Keep it simple.2.2. Make it meaningful.Make it meaningful.3.3. Create a feeling of space.Create a feeling of space.4.4. Place it between 6 – 12 feet behind the subject.Place it between 6 – 12 feet behind the subject.5.5. The general tone should be no lighter than the The general tone should be no lighter than the

highlight side of the face if possible.highlight side of the face if possible.6.6. The general tone should not be darker than the The general tone should not be darker than the

shadow side of the face if possible.shadow side of the face if possible.7.7. Put it believably out-of-focus – don’t stop down Put it believably out-of-focus – don’t stop down

too far.too far.

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IBackground: Relationship to apertureBackground: Relationship to aperture

BBackground: Believably out-of-focusackground: Believably out-of-focus

Selective focus is a technique often associated with Selective focus is a technique often associated with portraits. It is achieved using shallow DOF. So the portraits. It is achieved using shallow DOF. So the rule would be to use an aperture stopped down by .3rule would be to use an aperture stopped down by .3

to .7 from ‘wide open’.to .7 from ‘wide open’.

If the maximum aperture is 2.8, shoot using f/3.5.If the maximum aperture is 2.8, shoot using f/3.5.

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography ISummarySummary

SSome Conclusions:ome Conclusions:

Lighting for people can be a tricky business because Lighting for people can be a tricky business because they come in all manner of shapes, sizes, color, and they come in all manner of shapes, sizes, color, and tone. And more often then not, you end up shooting tone. And more often then not, you end up shooting a group of people which gets even more a group of people which gets even more complicated.complicated.

For this and other practical reason, don’t get too For this and other practical reason, don’t get too tricky with lighting. Avoid flat front lighting but don’t tricky with lighting. Avoid flat front lighting but don’t get the lighting too far off to the side. And by all get the lighting too far off to the side. And by all means, keep it to medium soft. Soft lighting is means, keep it to medium soft. Soft lighting is forgiving to both the photographer and the subject.forgiving to both the photographer and the subject.

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography ISummarySummary

AArt 115:rt 115:

Art 114 is not a lighting class. formulas or tricks. If Art 114 is not a lighting class. formulas or tricks. If you choose lighting as your learning focus in Art 115 you choose lighting as your learning focus in Art 115 or 116, that is what you will learn about…or 116, that is what you will learn about…

Art 115 and/or 116 is much more customizable to Art 115 and/or 116 is much more customizable to your particular needs…your particular needs…

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography I

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