question about portrait photography

[arkuro]

L&G

I am interested in portrait photography, outdoor or studio. I have a Nikon D90, 50mm 1.8 and the 18-105 lens. I just bought a speedlight SB900.
Please advise me if there are any good books or online reads on lighting particular to portrait photography with just one speedlight and/or using natural lights. Also any personal experience would be great too. I am interested in how the lighting is setup and would like to learn them and try them out.

Regards
Arkuro

 

[KmH]

Arkuro,

All light is natural. If it comes from the Sun, a speedlight, a flashlight, or a lightning bug, it's a just photons.

When you say natural light, I think you really mean ambient light. You use ambient light the same as you use studio light, in so far as you use the ambient light as a main light and a strobe (flash) or reflector as fill light.

the place to start learning about photographic lighting is the book:
Light: Science and Magic An Introduction To Photographic Lighting, by Fil Hunter. the first half of the book covers basic lighting concepts and the 2nd half deals specifically with the basics of lighting portraiture.

Regarding outdoor and location lighting using speedlights I recommend two sources. First the book: Minimalist Lighting Professional Techniques for Location Photography, by Kirk Tuck and second the web site www.strobist.com by David Hobby. At strobist.com start here with Lighting 101: Strobist: Lighting 101

 

[arkuro]

Arkuro,

All light is natural. If it comes from the Sun, a speedlight, a flashlight, or a lightning bug, it's a just photons.

When you say natural light, I think you really mean ambient light. You use ambient light the same as you use studio light, in so far as you use the ambient light as a main light and a strobe (flash) or reflector as fill light.

the place to start learning about photographic lighting is the book:
Light: Science and Magic An Introduction To Photographic Lighting, by Fil Hunter. the first half of the book covers basic lighting concepts and the 2nd half deals specifically with the basics of lighting portraiture.

Regarding outdoor and location lighting using speedlights I recommend two sources. First the book: Minimalist Lighting Professional Techniques for Location Photography, by Kirk Tuck and second the web site www.strobist.com by David Hobby. At strobist.com start here with Lighting 101: Strobist: Lighting 101

Thanks KmH.. I am already reading strobist and he also recommends this Light: Sciene & Magic and I have not finished them yet but I was looking for books or online reads more specific to portraiture photography and its lighting. More like lighting setup related.

 

[IgsEMT]

Portrait Lighting
Here's a site that does a really good job explaining lighting setup, posing, ratios etc. If you really want to learn, here's a GREAT start then add your experience to your skill and your amazing work.

 

[KmH]

Then look for types of lighting setups like:

• broad lighting
• short lighting
• butterfly (clamshell) lighting
• Rembrandt lighting

Portrait Lighting Styles StudioLighting.net

Tutorial Links

Foundations of Lighting Placement

The Examples

 

[arkuro]

Then look for types of lighting setups like:

• broad lighting
• short lighting
• butterfly (clamshell) lighting
• Rembrandt lighting

Portrait Lighting Styles StudioLighting.net

Tutorial Links

Foundations of Lighting Placement

The Examples

thanks a lot for the links. Links are awesome. The Tutorial links is i guess not working.. thanks anyways.

Edit: Tutorial link is working.. taking time to load.. .

 

[KmH]

I found all of those by using an Internet search engine, and then saved them in my 'Favorites'.

 

[arkuro]

i also marked them as favorites ..thanks a ton..the link with Foundations of Lighting Placement..is just awesome...exactly what i was looking for...