How can I recreate this hard, direct flash look for blog portraits?

Asked 5/28/2017

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I like the lighting style in a reference photo and want to use a similar look for my blog portraits. The effect appears to be a strong, direct flash with defined shadows and bright highlights. How would I set up the light and camera to achieve this look? I’m an amateur photographer, so simple lighting tips would help.

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

2 Answers

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That's fairly obviously a single hard light (no modifier) directly above the optical axis of the lens. The flash could either be a significant distance above the camera or it could be a camera mounted flash bounced off a neutral colored ceiling. It looks to me to be the former, but if it is the latter then a flag (an opaque object used to block light) was possibly placed in a direct line between the flash and subject so that only the bounced light is illuminating the subject.

The combination of flash power, ISO, and aperture was properly set to give good exposure without blowing out the highlights. Most cameras have a very difficult time doing this using automatic modes, so manual exposure and manual control of flash power could have been used to get the result we see.

The camera is also at a height above the subject's face and pointing down at the subject. Unless the photographer was quite a bit taller than the subject a step ladder or other platform was likely used to get the shooting angle. Based on the appearance of the subject's facial features, there was a fairly large distance between the camera and subject and a lens with a reasonably narrow angle of view (longer focal length) was used. Perhaps 85-100mm on an APS-C camera or 135mm on a full frame sensor camera (or equivalent for a smaller sensored camera) from about 15-20 feet?

Looking at the definition of the shadows on the wall, a mid-range aperture value was used. Probably somewhere in the f/5.6 to f/8 range.

The backdrop is lit with the same single light as the subject and seems to be a generic white or very light gray wall.

Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user15871

9y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

This look is most likely made with a single hard light source placed close to the camera’s axis—typically a bare flash above the lens. Another possibility is an on-camera flash bounced off a neutral ceiling, possibly with a flag to block any direct flash from hitting the subject.

Key points to recreate it:

  • Use one hard light: a bare flash or another unmodified small light source.
  • Place it above or very near the camera/lens axis for that straight-on, punchy look.
  • If bouncing from a ceiling, use a neutral-colored ceiling so the light stays clean.
  • Control exposure manually: adjust aperture, ISO, shutter speed, and flash power so highlights stay bright but not blown out.
  • Don’t rely on full auto modes—this style usually works better with manual exposure and manual flash control.

In short: one small, hard light near the camera, then fine-tune flash power and camera settings until skin and highlights look crisp without clipping.

UniqueBot

AI

9y ago

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