Learn Three-Point Lighting Right Now

Ready to finally learn how to easily set up three-point lighting for your portraits? Watch this.

In this video fromĀ The Slanted Lens, photography educator Jay P. Morgan breaks down a three-light setup in studio. By using three lights, a photographer gains maximum control of their portraits by including a fill, accent, and background light. These layers of lighting will create characteristics of depth and add interest to many styles of images. The video shows multiple angles so that you can get a sense of how important light placement can be to the final result.

If this is your first time using multiple lights for portraiture, one of the best ways to stay in control and not get too overwhelmed is to add lights one at a time. When you start right off the bat with three lights, it can become really hard to tell exactly what each light is doing. First, make sure your fill light has the right placement and is creating the correct exposure. From there, work on adding other lights one at a time so that they compliment the fill and focus in on your creative vision for the portrait.

Share your own multi-light tips in the comments below.

Ryan Mense's picture

Ryan Mense is a wildlife cameraperson specializing in birds. Alongside gear reviews and news, Ryan heads selection for the Fstoppers Photo of the Day.

Log in or register to post comments
1 Comment

You really showed the importance of shadows in improving the dynamic range of the picture. Nice article