Portrait lighting ideas

[mgblunt]

I recently finally got my studio set up and have been working on clam shell lighting and have that down very well with great results, my question what is another set up for lighting that I can work on to improve my skills something I can do in a small studio I have two large soft boxes four speed lights and remote triggers with a couple of reflectors?

 

[tirediron]

Pretty much anything really; depending on how much real estate you have, some things will be easier than others, but I would work on the basics, short, broad, Rembrandt, maybe try some Hollywood/Glamour...

 

[Derrel]

Yeah...read up on how to short light people, how to broad light people, and read up on how limited the use is for Rembrandt lighting.

Read up and learn what loop and modified loop lighting "means".

Practice. Review. Practice more. Review more.

The biggest issue with speedlights that I have found is that you shoot "blind" when using them..you can NOT actually SEE what the light is doing until after the shot has been made...which makes it doubly important to understand exactly what it is that you wish to accomplish. To me, speedlights make a lot of sense for the experienced shooter; for the beginning shooter, I think lights that have modeling lamps in them are far better learning tools.

 

[zombiesniper]

The above posts are probably near everything you need at this time but I would suggest one more thing.

Go back to practicing with 1 and only 1 light. Use it until you know exactly what will happen if you move it closer, further, left, right, above, below, change power or any combination.

Many people THINK they know but if I took them into my studio and got them to tell me before they took the shot then we compared to the actual shot, you'd be surprised how many people that KNEW what would happen were only at best half right.

Practice with one until you have it down. Then bring in a second, third etc.