Using v-flats creatively can significantly expand your lighting options during portrait shoots. Knowing how to position and manipulate these simple tools helps you shape light in ways standard modifiers often can’t.
Coming to you from John Gress, this practical video demonstrates several innovative uses of v-flats, highlighting how versatile these straightforward accessories can be. Gress first explores using two v-flats to manage contrast effectively: one acts as a flag, blocking unwanted spill, while the other serves as a reflective surface to gently bring out shadow details. This precision gives you complete control over your lighting conditions, enhancing the subtlety and quality of your portraits. This simple yet precise setup transforms ordinary lighting into something refined and intentional. Gress walks through exactly how to adjust the position and angle, ensuring you understand how small tweaks can significantly change your photo.
Coming to you from John Gress, this detailed video continues with another unique v-flat approach—using one as a makeshift reflective table. This setup introduces soft, even fill light from below, particularly effective for high-contrast portraiture. It also doubles as practical support, providing your subject a comfortable resting point for posing. Gress’ clear guidance simplifies replicating this method, demonstrating exactly how to set up, meter your exposure, and adapt based on your results. This visual example reinforces the idea that understanding how to experiment with common studio items can greatly improve your final image quality.
In the third demonstration, Gress uses a single v-flat as a background element, creating striking high-contrast portraits. He carefully balances the intensity of background illumination against the main lighting, crafting an image with distinct separation and dramatic mood. The thoughtful details he shares about exposure management and achieving the ideal lighting ratio help you grasp exactly why certain choices create powerful visual outcomes. Beyond just the setup itself, Gress offers specific advice on avoiding common pitfalls, such as overexposing background elements, which ensures cleaner results. Learning this technique equips you with a reliable approach to elevate simple portrait sessions into memorable, distinctive photos. 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!"
