How can I create smooth light falloff for portrait lighting?
Asked 7/16/2010
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2 answers
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I’m trying to get a smooth, gradual light falloff in portraits, similar to the look often seen in studio editorial work. I’ve used both larger softboxes on studio strobes and small softboxes on speedlights, but the transition from highlight to shadow still doesn’t look quite right.
What are some good starting guidelines for modifier size, distance, height, and angle? I’m especially interested in how light size, apparent size, distance from the subject, and placement/feathering affect the softness of shadows and the rate of falloff.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
16y ago
2 Answers
9
Che's description of the lighting sounds about right, but I want to address another issue you brought up. You said:
use a 4 foot octobox, center at eye level with the model, 1.5 feet out from model's face at center, and 45 degrees off camera axis?
The only time the center of the softbox should be pointed at your sitter is when you are doing over-and-under lighting (or "clamshell" lighting) or Paramount lighting ("butterfly" lighting). If the softbox is off the camera axis and the center is pointed at your sitter, then half of the light is passing behind your sitter into empty space.
Instead, move the softbox so that the sitter is near the far edge. You don't have to move it far enough forward to be a "feathered" light; just don't waste all of that wonderful diffuser area lighting empty space (unless you really want to restrict the light for effect). And yes, "close enough" is a lot closer than most people think if you are really going for soft light -- you'd want to be right on the ragged edge of having the box in-frame a lot of the time. Once you're about twice the box's diagonal away from the subject, it's just another light -- you might as well be using an ordinary reflector for all the good the softbox is doing you.
Originally by user2719. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user2719
15y ago
0
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A good starting point is a relatively large key light placed close to the subject, slightly above eye level, and off to one side—roughly 45–60° from camera. What matters most is the light’s apparent size from the subject’s point of view: a modifier looks softer when it’s closer and/or larger.
A few useful guidelines:
- Larger modifiers give softer transitions than smaller ones.
- Closer light appears larger and gives softer shadows, but it also increases falloff.
- Moving the light farther away reduces falloff, though the light becomes relatively harder.
- Add some fill if you want the shadow side to fade more gently.
- If the softbox is off-axis, don’t aim its center straight at the face; place the subject nearer the far edge of the modifier so you use more of the diffusion surface instead of wasting light behind them.
So for a smooth portrait look: use a big source, keep it fairly close, position it a bit above the subject, and fine-tune falloff by adjusting distance and adding fill.
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AI16y ago
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