One point lighting–

there is only one light source in the scene with no complementary sources to fill in shadows.

This is the simplest type of light placement and in fact mimics something we see every day — the sun! It has the most natural look and can have a dramatic lighting effect. It also draws attention, but can give a person onstage a very flat, two-dimensional look.

My photo of one ,two and three point lighting:

Two point lighting–

In a two-point lighting setup, two light sources are usually placed at 45 degree angle from the subject. One of them is your key light, which is the main light used to illuminate the subject, and the second is your fill light which helps to remove harsh shadows on the subject that are created by the key light.

Three point lighting-

Three-point lighting is a traditional method for illuminating a subject in a scene with light sources from three distinct positions. The three types of lights are key light, fill light, and backlight

Butterfly example..

This is butter fly because thee a butterfly shadow under the eye. It’s a single source directly in line with the subject’s face and the camera. If the shadows are a little too deep, a reflector can be placed below the subject to bounce light back up into the face.

Chiaroscuro example..

Chiaroscuro is a high-contrast lighting technique that utilises a low-key lighting setup to achieve contrast between the subject and a dark background. You light across your subject in one direction, and here we lit the background in the reverse direction. Ideally, the subject should go to black on the unlit side and the same for the background, it shows off the looks and eliminates the face.

Rembert example…

You can tell this photograph is Rembert because there’s a triangle underneath her eye. This is a technique utilizing one light and one reflector or two separate lights. It’s a popular technique because it creates images that look both dramatic yet natural.  Rembrandt lighting consists of a single light source placed on a 45 degree offset from the subject, about 5 feet away. Positioned roughly two feet higher than eye level, the light source is angled slightly downward and hits the side of the face that is farthest away from the camera

Here is some photos of the studio in action of 1,2,3, Rembert, butterfly and Chiaroscuro lighting..

One point lighting–

there is only one light source in the scene with no complementary sources to fill in shadows.

This is the simplest type of light placement and in fact mimics something we see every day — the sun! It has the most natural look and can have a dramatic lighting effect. It also draws attention, but can give a person onstage a very flat, two-dimensional look.

My photo of one ,two and three point lighting:

Two point lighting–

In a two-point lighting setup, two light sources are usually placed at 45 degree angle from the subject. One of them is your key light, which is the main light used to illuminate the subject, and the second is your fill light which helps to remove harsh shadows on the subject that are created by the key light.

Three point lighting-

Three-point lighting is a traditional method for illuminating a subject in a scene with light sources from three distinct positions. The three types of lights are key light, fill light, and backlight

Butterfly example..

This is butter fly because thee a butterfly shadow under the eye. It’s a single source directly in line with the subject’s face and the camera. If the shadows are a little too deep, a reflector can be placed below the subject to bounce light back up into the face.

Chiaroscuro example..

Chiaroscuro is a high-contrast lighting technique that utilises a low-key lighting setup to achieve contrast between the subject and a dark background. You light across your subject in one direction, and here we lit the background in the reverse direction. Ideally, the subject should go to black on the unlit side and the same for the background, it shows off the looks and eliminates the face.

Rembert example…

You can tell this photograph is Rembert because there’s a triangle underneath her eye. This is a technique utilizing one light and one reflector or two separate lights. It’s a popular technique because it creates images that look both dramatic yet natural.  Rembrandt lighting consists of a single light source placed on a 45 degree offset from the subject, about 5 feet away. Positioned roughly two feet higher than eye level, the light source is angled slightly downward and hits the side of the face that is farthest away from the camera

The last two pictures are edited to brighten up the contrast and flaws and imperfection’s.

Here is some photos of the studio in action.

To conclude

I think that this has been my best so far. It brings out so much about you as a person and having trail and error with different sets of lighting and 1,2 and 3 point lighting wasn’t easy, however we got there in the head. I really enjoyed taking these portraits but to do better I think I could’ve angled some of the light’s a bit better, which I will do for my next photoshoot. To wrap up I think I did quiet well in this project and these photographs’.

Chiaroscuro is a high-contrast lighting technique that utilises a low-key lighting setup to achieve contrast between the subject and a dark background. Chiaroscuro creates three-dimensionality on a two-dimensional plane, darkening the background and highlighting the subject in the foreground, drawing the viewer’s focus and attention.

The word chiaroscuro is Italian for light and shadow. It’s one of the classic techniques used in the works of artists like Rembrandt, da Vinci, and Caravaggio. It refers to the use of light and shadow to create the illusion of light from a specific source shining on the figures and objects in the painting.

Chiaroscuro Lighting Photoshoot:

For this photoshoot, I took studio portraits using a chiaroscuro lighting setup. In order to make my background darker as seen in the majority of the images I saw, I placed the light source slightly behind the subject and then used a reflective board in order to make the light bounce back onto her face creating that triangular shape once again. I got the subject to try different poses like with her hands on her head, her hands on the back of a chair and with her side on to the camera.

I edited these images on Lightroom and adjusted the contrast, exposure etc. I then decided to make my images black and white on photoshop as when researching about chiaroscuro lighting, I noticed that the majority of the images that I looked at were black and white.

Overall, I feel this photoshoot was successful as I managed to create a dark background which contrasts with the face that is lit up. However, if I were to do this photoshoot again, I would place the light source more towards the camera in order to really enhance the contrast between light and dark.

Chiaroscuro Lighting Photoshoot 2:

For my second photoshoot on Chiaroscuro lighting, I focussed on capturing more of the subject’s body in my images as in the first photoshoot I mainly focussed on the face. I think I managed to do this successfully and created a darker background as I hoped for.

To finalise this photoshoot, I exported my edited images from Lightroom and edited them to be black and white in photoshop as this was a common theme amongst other chiaroscuro lighting portraits I had seen.

Overall, I like how this photoshoot came out as I managed to improve what I wanted to on my previous photoshoot. However, I could’ve shot my images in a portrait and landscape mode instead of just portrait in order to get more variety in my images.

Photoshoot- Edits

The photographs that are highlighted green are the photos I have chosen to edit, because they have the best poses and composition. They also display the different types of lighting the most effectively and well, so it is easy to tell which lighting was used for each of these photographs.

Butterfly Lighting

Butterfly lighting is lighting that displays a butterfly shadow under the nose. This is how you can tell it is butterfly lighting. The set up which was used is shown below;

The light was positioned directly in front of the model, but raised about 2 feet above the model, so the light would shine down onto them. The camera was also positioned directly in front of the model, but at the same level as the model. The reflector is then used to reflect the light into the models eyes to make them brighter and more visible in the photograph. The reflector is positioned either under the model on an angle, or to the side of the model on an angle. 

Edits

I edited this photo to make it much brighter, so that the model was more visible. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights and whites, while also decreasing the shadows and blacks. I also experimented with editing in Lightroom, by using a brightening tool on the models eyes, so they are brighter and more visible. I also used a correction tool to get rid of any blemishes on the skin, hair etc.

I also experimented with the editing by making a virtual copy of the edited photo and making it black and white.

I edited this photo to make it much brighter, so that it was more vibrant and the model could be more visible. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites and clarity, while also decreasing the shadows and blacks. I also experimented with editing in Lightroom, by using a brightening tool on the models eyes, so they are brighter and more visible. I also used a correction tool to get rid of any blemishes on the skin, hair etc.

I also made a virtual copy of the edited photo and edited it again, so it was black and white. I did this to give the portrait a different mood and to just experiment with different tones and contrasts.

I edited this photo to make it brighter and more vibrant, so the model and her features were more visible. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites, texture and clarity, while decreasing the shadows and blacks. I also experimented with editing in Lightroom, by using a brightening tool on the models eyes, so they are brighter and more visible. I also used a correction tool to get rid of any blemishes on the skin, hair etc.

I also made a virtual copy of the edited photo and edited it again to make a black and white copy. I then started to experiment with different backgrounds, so I used a black background instead of white background.

I edited this photo to make the model more vibrant and the photo brighter, so that the model would stand out more. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites and clarity, while decreasing the shadows and blacks. I also experimented with editing in Lightroom, by using a brightening tool on the models eyes, so they are brighter and more visible. I also used a correction tool to get rid of any blemishes on the skin, hair etc.

I then made a virtual copy of the edited photo and edited it again to create a black and white version.

I edited this photo to make it brighter and to give the model’s face more highlights, so that the shadow under her nose stood out more, so it was easier to to tell it was butterfly lighting that was used. I did this by increasing the exposure, contrast, highlights, whites, texture and clarity, while decreasing the shadows and blacks. I also experimented with editing in Lightroom, by using a brightening tool on the models eyes, so they are brighter and more visible. I also used a correction tool to get rid of any blemishes on the skin, hair etc.

I also made a virtual copy of the edited photo and edited it again to make a black and white version.

For all my butterfly photographs the camera settings were;

Aperture: f/14

Shutter Speed: 1/80 seconds

ISO: ISO-100

Top 9 Butterfly lighting photographs

Conclusion

In conclusion, I think this photoshoot went well, as I understood the lighting technique and managed to achieve portraits using this lighting technique, because I was able to set up the studio correctly for the different types of lighting. I also experimented with different backgrounds, such as black or white backgrounds, to give the photograph a different mood. I was also able to direct my models to try different poses and to sit at different angles or facing different ways. This helped change the mood of the photographs. I also experimented a lot with my editing skills, as I used a brightening tool on Lightroom to brighten up my models eyes, so they would be more visible and stand out more. Furthermore, I also used a correction tool on Lightroom to correct or get rid of any blemishes on my models skin, hair etc. I then also experimented with making my photos black and white, so it would give a complete new portrait and a complete new mood.

what is environmental portraits?

an environmental portrait is when the object of the photo is placed in an area that you would associate it with (footballer at a football pitch etc).

mood board:

mind map:

photo must have a distinct subject that matches its background

props can be useful to help paint the picture

location of photo (inside or outside etc).

more than one person can help create more emotion in a photo

Artist study-August Sanders:

“It is not my intention either to criticize or to describe these people, but to create a piece of history with my pictures.” – August Sander

Introduction:

where was he born? August Sanders was born in Herdof Germany. he grew up having an interest in photography after his uncle bought him camera and he met some photographer who helped spark his interest in photography.

august sanders took photos of people all over Germany, even though they didn’t consist much emotion if not none from the subject but could still paint a story of what the person does or is. he did this from the early 1900s all the way up until 1964 where he would pass away he created a portfolio called “people of the 20th century” his photos helped document the change and growth in society and the differences in social classes.

august sanders helped to document changes in one of the most dominant army’s in history (the uniform and the environment of the soldiers and commanders etc).

individual photo analysis–

this photo in my opinion helps us show what August Sanders really wanted to capture in all his photos in this genre

this photo shows that he liked to use quite an old fashioned large format camera that consisted of long exposure times, as in this photo it allows him to capture all the details not only in the person but everything around the person as well such as the little details in most of the bricks the floor where he is standing. this photo tells what environment this person worked as it seems to be quite messy but so precise as his surroundings are quite dirty (floor, stain on the wall etc) and the the preciseness of how the bricks must be laid out. so to conclude this photo really portrays what this persons work life is like in multiple different ways.

all of this really helps us show what life was like in the 20th century as he is essentially creating a piece of history.

other examples

obviously after having such an influence in photography multiple people have tried to replicate his work with a modern twist it and these are some examples:

One Point Lighting

Single Point Lighting is the simplest type of light placement and mimics something we see everyday, the sun. It has the most natural look and can have a dramatic lighting effect, it also draws attention. But it may though give the person you are photographing may look more flat or two dimensional. It’s a bit of a basic lighting due to having the option to choose so many different types of lighting but then only sticking to one light.

One-point lighting, also known as single-source lighting, refers to a lighting setup that uses one primary light source to illuminate the subject. This technique creates strong contrasts between light and shadow, emphasizing texture and form.

In photography, one-point lighting can be achieved using various light sources, such as natural light from a window or a studio light. The placement of the light significantly impacts the mood of the image: for instance, positioning the light at a 45-degree angle can create dramatic shadows and highlights, enhancing the subject’s features. This approach is commonly used in portrait photography to create depth and dimension, while also allowing for creative effects and a more intimate atmosphere.

Several artists and photographers are known for their effective use of one-point lighting to create striking visuals. Here are a few notable figures:

1. Richard Avedon: Renowned for his fashion and portrait photography, Avedon often used single light sources to create dramatic contrasts and emphasize the subject’s features.
2. Gregory Crewdson: Known for his cinematic and surreal images, Crewdson employs one-point lighting in many of his elaborately staged scenes, enhancing mood and atmosphere.
3. Ansel Adams: While primarily known for landscape photography, Adams’s use of light and shadow often reflects the principles of one-point lighting, particularly in his black-and-white work.
4. Clyde Butcher: This environmental photographer uses natural light in a way that highlights textures and contrasts in his large-format black-and-white landscapes.
5. Platon: A portrait photographer celebrated for his iconic images of public figures, Platon often employs strong single-source lighting to create impactful portraits.

These artists showcase how one-point lighting can be effectively utilized to create depth, drama, and emotional resonance in their work.

Two Point Lighting

A two-point lighting set up is when theyre are two lighting sources, which are usually placed at a 45 degree angle point from the subject. One of them is your key light, which is the main light used to illuminate the subject and the second is your fill light which helps to remove harsh shadows on the subject that are created by the key light. 

Two-point lighting is a lighting technique that uses two light sources to illuminate a subject, creating depth and dimension in the image. This setup typically includes a key light and a fill light:

1. Key Light: This is the primary light source and is usually positioned at an angle to the subject. It provides the main illumination and creates highlights and shadows, defining the subject’s features.
2. Fill Light: The fill light is softer and less intense than the key light, positioned opposite the key light to reduce harsh shadows and balance the overall lighting. It helps to illuminate the shadow areas without overpowering the key light.

By using two-point lighting, photographers can achieve a more nuanced and balanced look, enhancing the subject’s three-dimensionality while maintaining a natural feel. This technique is commonly used in portrait photography, film, and video production to create a pleasing and dynamic visual effect.

Several artists and photographers are known for their effective use of two-point lighting to enhance their work. Yousuf Karsh is celebrated for his iconic portraits, often employing two-point lighting to create depth and dimensionality in his subjects. David LaChapelle, known for his vibrant and theatrical style, frequently utilizes two light sources to achieve a balanced yet dramatic effect in his fashion and celebrity photography. Diane Arbus also employed this technique, using it to illuminate her subjects in a way that highlighted their unique characteristics and emotions. Additionally, contemporary photographer Annie Leibovitz often uses two-point lighting in her portraits to create rich textures and striking contrasts, emphasizing the personalities of her subjects. Each of these artists demonstrates how two-point lighting can enhance storytelling and visual impact in photography.

Three Point Lighting

Three-point lighting is a traditional method for illuminating a subject in a scene with light sources from three distinct positions. The three types of lights are key light, fill light, and backlight. Three-point lighting is a standard method regularly used in visual media such as theatre, video, film, still photography, computer-generated imagery and 3D computer graphics. This technique can be used to eliminate shadows cast by foreground elements onto the background, or to draw more attention to the background. It also helps to off-set the single eye nature of the camera, this means that it helps the camera give depth to the subject.

Three-point lighting is a comprehensive lighting technique commonly used in photography, film, and video production to create a well-rounded and balanced illumination of a subject. This setup involves three key light sources:

1. Key Light: This is the primary light source and is usually placed at an angle to the subject. It provides the main illumination and establishes the overall mood, creating highlights and shadows that define the subject’s features.
2. Fill Light: Positioned opposite the key light, the fill light is softer and less intense. Its purpose is to reduce harsh shadows created by the key light, providing a more even illumination without overpowering the key light.
3. Back Light (or Rim Light): This light is placed behind the subject, pointing towards the camera. Its role is to create separation between the subject and the background, adding depth and dimension. It highlights the edges of the subject, enhancing the three-dimensionality of the image.

Together, these three lights work harmoniously to create a balanced and dynamic look, making three-point lighting a versatile technique widely used in portrait photography, interviews, and cinematic lighting.

Several artists and photographers effectively utilize three-point lighting to enhance their work:

1. George Hurrell: A renowned Hollywood portrait photographer, Hurrell is famous for his glamorous and dramatic portraits of stars in the 1930s and 1940s, using three-point lighting to create striking highlights and shadows.
2. Annie Leibovitz: Known for her iconic celebrity portraits, Leibovitz often employs three-point lighting to create depth and dimension, effectively highlighting her subjects against various backgrounds.
3. Joel Grimes: A commercial photographer known for his dynamic and dramatic portraits, Grimes uses three-point lighting to achieve a strong sense of depth and to make his subjects stand out.
4. Philippe Halsman: A master of portrait photography, Halsman often used three-point lighting in his innovative and playful portraits, capturing the personalities of his subjects in engaging ways.
5. David Bailey: A legendary fashion and portrait photographer, Bailey frequently employs three-point lighting to create well-defined and impactful images that highlight his subjects’ features.

These artists showcase the effectiveness of three-point lighting in creating visually compelling and dynamic portraits across various genres.

There are 3 types of main lightings:

-rembrandt

-chiaroscuro

-butterfly

chiaroscuro

what is chiaroscuro?

Chiaroscuro is a high-contrast lighting technique that utilises a low-key lighting setup to achieve contrast between the subject and a dark background.

High-key and low-key lighting are two studio lighting techniques that result in very different moods and aesthetics.

the photo on the left is low key because it emphasises on shadows whilst the photo on the right is high key as it minimalizes on shadows and low contrast.

• High key lighting -​
• photos typically have a more optimistic feel and are used for fun,  bright projects. ​
• It is the go to source for many sitcoms and comedies. It is often used for portraits and weddings. This technique is great for making your recordings look active and energetic.

low-

• photos typically have a cold, gloomy feel and are used for dramatic effect.
• it is popular for portrait photography.

Response shoot:

What Is Rembrandt Lightning?

Rembrandt lighting takes its name after Rembrandt Harmen zoon van Rijn, a 17th-century Dutch painter who was known for using earthy tones and golden highlights to frame the faces of his portraiture subjects. What made his painting style distinct was focusing lighting on the subject’s face and adding detail around it, tapping into an innate human attraction to the face.

The Rembrandt lighting technique results in a moody and dramatic effect. This type of lighting technique often features a dark or black background behind the subject, putting the subject front and center.

• Rembrandt lighting technique is considered one of the go-to photography lighting setups because it produces a dramatic visual effect without requiring a lot of setup
• A more sophisticated version of this setup includes a reflector, which brings detail back into the shadows on the subject’s face, but even this setup requires minimal tools and associated costs
• In this way, all renditions of the Rembrandt method are considered low-effort while producing high-impact photographs

How to Create a Rembrandt Lighting Setup

a single light source placed on a 45 degree offset from the subject, about 5 feet away. Positioned roughly two feet higher than eye level, the light source is angled slightly downward and hits the side of the face that is farthest away from the camera.

Butterfly lighting

What is butterfly lighting?

Butterfly lighting is a type of portrait lighting technique used primarily in a studio setting. Its name comes from the butterfly-shaped shadow that forms under the nose because the light comes from above the camera. You may also hear it called ‘paramount lighting’ or ‘glamour lighting’.

What is it used for?

Butterfly lighting is used for portraits. It’s a light pattern that flatters almost everybody, making it one of the most common lighting setups.

How to create butterfly lighting.

Response shoot:

photomontage is the process and the results of making a composite photograph by cutting, gluing, rearranging and over-lapping 2 or more photographs into one image.

Thomas Sauvin, is a French photography who used photo montage to display his images. In this image he has cut out different parts of the image and placed it on top of them.

My Photos and Edits

Edits:

What is Chiaroscuro lighting ?

Chiaroscuro lighting is a high contrast lighting technique that utilises a low key lighting set up to achieve contrast between the model and a black background.

The importance of chiaroscuro ?

Chiaroscuro is important as it looks at the contrast between light and dark and emphasis and illuminates important figures in a painting or drawing.

Image analysis

Chiaroscuro uses colour in this image by contrasting black and white light. The form of this image is 3D and there is a pattern of striped light on one of the example images. The space of the images is the depth perception. 3D objects are defined by the three spatial dimensions of height width and depth.

My response

My best photo

This is my favourite photo because of the contrast between the dark background and the highlights from the light. The colour from the green jumper also gives a nice contrast between the dark background which highlights the eye.

Chiaroscuro was a compositional device developed by Ugo da Carpi, however high renaissance artists Leonardo da Vinci was found out to have also helped to ‘pioneer’ the creation of Chiaroscuro lighting. Chiaroscuro is a renaissance painting technique which means “light-dark” in Italian. The theory of Chiaroscuro is that it is always best achieved by the effect of light falling on the model/ subject however it must also allow the shade to give two-dimensional figures a sense of volume.

How To Do It

Through my research I have found out that the most important elements of chiaroscuro lighting are:

(Definitions obtained from google)

•  highlights– Highlights are the lightest elements in an image, whereas shadows are the darkest areas. Dynamic range is the ratio between those vivid highlights and dark shadows, from bright white to pure black. That range is key to an image’s depth and drama.

• halftones– Halftone is the reprographic technique that simulates continuous-tone imagery through the use of dots, varying either in size or in spacing, thus generating a gradient-like effect. “Halftone” can also be used to refer specifically to the image that is produced by this process.

• deep shadows– Shadows are the dark areas where a light source is blocked by an object. Shadows change shape, intensity, and even colour along with the angle, direction, and temperature of light.

• reflected lights– Reflected light is light that’s reflected off a subject. No matter what direction the light is coming from, it will be affected by what it’s bouncing off. The subject will determine which type of light will be reflected.

• cast shadows– The difference between core shadows and cast shadows is that core shadows are the darkest part of a shadowed region on a subject, whereas cast shadows are shadows that are cast by one object onto a different object. The silhouette you see of yourself on a sunny day is a cast shadow of yourself.

Creation and Development of Chiaroscuro

Chiaroscuro lighting is known as a ‘high-contrast’ lighting technique that uses a low-key lighting setup which achieves a contrast between the model and a dark background. Chiaroscuro lighting helps to balance its high-contrast light and its shade which gives the appearance of depth, creating an enhanced or more dramatic monochromatic effect. 

Da Vinci quickly discovered that he could create depth through slow gradations of light and shadow. He then decided to use this in his paintings, this is demonstrated in the painting below. The parts of the painting in the squares are the particular areas that highlight the chiaroscuro lighting technique and how Leonardo Da Vinci used it in his paintings.

Examples of Chiaroscuro Cinematography

These images I have collected from a movie I have researched called ‘Apocalypse Now’ I chose this movie because I have seen the amazing cinematography throughout. Here are some images that represent the elements of chiaroscuro lighting in this film.

These photos are a perfect example of low-key lighting in cinema. During the ‘Willard’s scenes’ it shows the characters face is darkness apart from a small yellow back light, which lights up the image from behind with only the left half being illuminated. This element of chiaroscuro is shown by some parts of the face being shaded, some slightly exposed to light and some completely exposed to light. The creator made a challenging lighting scenario, however it has positively impacted the images as they create a sense of mystery melancholy and sinister impression . This has inspired me with my photography using the chiaroscuro technique.

My Chiaroscuro Photography

This is a virtual gallery of all the photos I have taken during my photoshoots. I labelled these photos with multiple different colours. I labelled my Rembrandt lighting photos red, my chiaroscuro lighting images green and my butterfly lighting photos in blue. I also then labelled some photos in yellow, this was for photos that include none or multiple of these lighting techniques. This is an easy and simple way to identify images and separate them into different categories. I then categorized them further with stars. This helps me to further categorise my photos and easily pick my highest quality photos. I categorised these by having my best images at 5 stars ‘*****’ and my least favourite, low quality images at 1 star ‘*’.

I think this photo is a perfect powerful stance for my model. It is a beautiful 1/4 body shot which demonstrates power through her pose and the chiaroscuro lighting.

I then took these chiaroscuro inspired images and edited them into black and white, this black and white effect has added an extra element of wonder and dramatic impressions. I think the lack of colour has brought out more contrast and has given them more cohesion to the overall look of my images.

These photos I think perfectly demonstrate chiaroscuro lighting, the way some parts of her face are shaded and some are exposed shows this interesting and mysterious impression about my photos. I think that the lighting technique of chiaroscuro is definitely a great method in accentuating form throughout my photography and editing. Chiaroscuro lighting also will help draw viewers’ eyes to things they might not focus on otherwise in my photos.

I think in order to take my work to the next level when it comes to Chiaroscuro, Rembrandt and Butterfly, I should use a reflector, this includes another person helping and holding a reflector that looks like this..

These photography tools called ‘reflectors’ help to redirect light onto my model, I must remember that it does not It doesn’t create any light but it will move and redirect light that is created by a flash head create fill light and lessen shadows.