Should you add a Fresnel-type light to your collection of gear for portrait photography? Besides looking like a great prop in your shot, is it a light you can use as your main source for photos?
If you are interested in using a Fresnel for your portrait work, photographer John Gress shares three different Fresnel units that you can use in your work today. While it's not the only method, a Fresnel is a great choice if you are looking to recreate hard light that resembles sunlight in the studio.
In this video, Gress gives a quick history lesson on the Fresnel lens and how it works. Gress also shows how you can change the light spread in two of the units to give you a slightly different look. If you love the lighting in old Hollywood movies and portraits, then a Fresnel unit might be what you need.
Which one of the units in the video do you think produces the best results? Do you own a Fresnel light, and if so, do you currently use it in your work? Is it a fancy prop in the scene, or do you use it as one of the light sources for your work? Let us know in the comments below, and share your examples.
Interesting.
Interesting video. The presenter comes over very well and does a very good job of explaining those lights.
However Im at a loss in understanding what difference using such a light makes. I know warm and I know cool light and I know hard light and I know soft light but is there a difference between various hard light sources other than being a spot or flood source or how hard the light actually is determined I imagine by the' sharpness' of the shadow edge. The same goes for soft light. could light sources be measured and graded by the nature of the leading edge of the shadow? Im assuming this would be for some standard colour temp. Ive no idea myself but if anyone who knows lighting could explain. Ive always thought that lighting is far less mysterious than some make out and pretty straight forward, but them again I could be missing something.