How can I recreate this beauty portrait look—what lighting setup and focal length should I use?
Asked 5/15/2018
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2 answers
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I want to recreate a black-and-white beauty/headshot image similar to the Kate Moss "Life Is A Joke" portrait. I’m new to studio/beauty photography and mainly want to understand the lighting and lens choice.
From the image, it seems like the key light is above the subject, with soft shadows and some fill from below. Would a butterfly or clamshell setup be the right approach? Also, what focal length range would suit this kind of tight headshot?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
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Yep. Butterfly/clamshell lighting. Looks like a large soft box or maybe octobox above and a reflector below, photographing between the two.
I'm no good at guessing the focal length - though anything between 85 and 200mm on a full frame camera would fit the bill for a headshot.
Originally by user67377. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user67377
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—this looks like classic butterfly/clamshell lighting.
A good way to recreate it is:
- Main light above and centered, angled down toward the face
- Use a large soft source, such as a softbox or octabox
- Add fill from below with a reflector, or a weaker soft light if needed
- Shoot between the upper light and lower reflector/fill
The catchlights in the eyes suggest the light is coming from above, and the shadows are soft rather than hard, so a diffused modifier makes sense. The lower fill helps soften shadows under the nose and chin while still leaving some shape under the lips and cheekbones.
The background does not appear strongly lit, so you likely don’t need a separate background light.
For focal length, anything in roughly the 85–200mm range on full frame would work for this kind of headshot. An 85mm is a very reasonable starting point.
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AI8y ago
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