Perfecting Headshot Lighting: A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting the lighting right can make a big difference in headshot work. Here's how to set up and refine your headshot lighting to achieve professional results.

Coming to you from Pye Jirsa with MagMod, this comprehensive video walks you through three levels of headshot lighting setups. Jirsa starts with the basics and gradually introduces more complexity. You’ll learn about lighting angles, positioning, and using different tools to enhance your shots. It’s practical advice that you can apply immediately.

Jirsa begins with a simple setup: the clamshell. This setup uses butterfly lighting, where the light is positioned above the subject and angled down. Jirsa uses a Profoto B10 and a MagBox Pro 24 Octa, but emphasizes that any light source can work. The key is the angle. Adjusting the subject’s position relative to the light by a few inches can significantly impact the result. This setup alone, with subtle tweaks, can yield beautiful, professional headshots.

Next, Jirsa enhances the setup by adding a reflector below the subject’s chin. This addition helps fill in shadows and adds light to the eyes. You can control the fill light by adjusting the reflector’s distance and angle. This small change can make a noticeable difference in the final image, creating a balanced, well-lit headshot.

Moving to level two, Jirsa introduces positive and negative fill using V-flats. He starts with the white side of the V-flats to reflect light from both sides, creating minimal shadows and a soft, even look. Then, he switches to the black side for negative fill, which absorbs light and adds depth and shadow to the face. This technique sculpts the face, giving it a more dramatic, chiseled appearance.

At level three, Jirsa adds kicker lights to the setup. Using Profoto lights with MagGrids, he positions these lights behind the subject to add subtle rim lighting. This creates separation between the subject and the background, enhancing the overall look. Jirsa also shows how adding colored gels, like CTO (Color Temperature Orange), can introduce warmth and variation to the background light, giving the headshot a unique touch. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Jirsa.

If you would like to continue learning about the art of portraiture, be sure to check out our range of tutorials on the subject in the Fstoppers store.