Taking the time to learn proper artificial lighting techniques and setups is crucial to becoming a proficient and versatile portrait photographer. If you are working on learning lighting, check out this fantastic video that details a wide variety of helpful tips and information in just three quick minutes.
Coming to you from Manny Ortiz, this great video details a lot of great tips and tricks for using artificial lighting for portraits. One thing to note is that since Ortiz is using a single light for the setup; this light controls the exposure on both the model and the background. While you could add a second light to control the backdrop exposure independently, if you are just working with one light, you can control the exposure of the background by varying the model's distance from it. As the model moves farther away (while keeping a constant distance to you), the exposure on the background will fall, making it darker, and vice versa. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Ortiz.
If you would like to continue learning how to light for portraits, be sure to check out "Illuminating The Face: Lighting for Headshots and Portraits With Peter Hurley!"
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