When you are new to artificial lighting, it can be a bit tricky to try to take in all the terminology, techniques, and creative practices at the same time, and as such, it is important to make sure you start out the right way. The best way to begin learning is by working with a single light, and this great video tutorial will show you an effective one-light setup for creating compelling portraits.
Coming to you from Julia Trotti, this awesome video tutorial will show you an effective single-light setup for portraiture. Working with a single source when you are new to artificial lighting is so important because it allows you to build an understanding of crucial concepts like fall-off, subject-to-source distance, modifier size, and more without the added complication of trying to wrangle multiple lights and know which one is causing which effect. As you will see, though, only using one light does not mean you cannot create professional-level images, and many pros still work with just a single source in a lot of situations. Once you feel comfortable with it, moving on to multi-light setups will feel intuitive and natural. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Trotti.
News flash: Only photographers know about or care about catchlights in eyes. Clients don't know or care. And there is no rule that says you have to have catchlights. There's no photo cops to swoop down on you for your lack of catchlights or their shape. Stop caring about these things.