3 Creative and Effective One-light Portrait Photography Setups

When it comes to portrait photography, you might think that you need complex multi-light setups in order to create professional images, and while these certainly have their place, you might be surprised by how much you can accomplish with just a single light. This excellent video tutorial will show you three creative and effective one-light setups for portrait photography. 

Coming to you from John Gress, this great video tutorial will show you three effective single-light setups for portraiture. While it is true that multi-light setups offer you a measure of versatility and creative potential beyond a single light, many photographers prefer a single light simply for the easier logistics, especially if they shoot on location a lot. Beyond that, if you are new to working with artificial light, it is much better to learn if you stick to using a single light at first, as this will make it easier to learn the basic properties of light without an additional layer of complexity. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Gress.

If you would like to continue learning about how to light a portrait, be sure to check out "Illuminating The Face: Lighting for Headshots and Portraits With Peter Hurley," which is currently on sale along with the rest of the Fstoppers store! 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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