Studio Photography
Rembrandt
This technique is inspired by Rembrandt who was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker and draughtsman. He used to paint shadows in his paintings in order to add more depth and make them more realistic. This technique created a triangle on the side of the face and makes the model look more attractive. It is used in studio portrait photography and cinematography. It can be achieved using one light and a reflector, or two lights, and is popular because it is capable of producing images which appear both natural and compelling with a minimum of equipment.
Chiaroscuro/side light
Chiaroscuro (from Italian chiaro, “light,” and scuro, “dark”) is a film lighting style that emphasizes shadow and light. Chiaroscuro first emerged during the Renaissance as a painting technique used to create tension between the light and dark elements in portraits and other still life. To achieve this you just need to put your light on the side of the model and use a flash.
Butterfly
Butterfly lighting is a portrait lighting pattern where the key light is placed above and directly centred with the model’s face. This creates a shadow under the nose that resembles a butterfly. It’s also known as ‘Paramount lighting,’ named for classic Hollywood glamour photography.
Oliver Doran
Oliver Doran is a commercial, editorial and portrait photographer from Jersey, Channel Islands. He has over 15 years of experience and he photographs some of the most recognisable faces on the planet. He is known for his skilful use of light and mood to create striking visual breakthroughs that also strike the right chords and achieve diverse briefs and business goals.
His passion for travel, meeting new people and appreciating cultures different from his own lights the fire beneath everything he does. His roster of experiences includes working for the royal families in Bahrain and Dubai, an honour that he cherishes. Some find working with famous people intimidating, but for Oliver, the experience has made him empathetic to the innate human spirit.
Oliver creates vibrant, cinematic images using both flash, natural light and a mixture of both. He is comfortable in and out of the studio with complex lighting setups as well as working with ambient light in any location; day or night.
