Proper lighting is a critical component of a successful glamour photograph.
Glamour photography is a complicated mixture of makeup, lighting effects and either on-camera filters or post-production filtration in Adobe Photoshop. However, several simple studio lighting techniques can help create a glamorous photograph that will require less digital darkroom work and post processing than when using less careful lighting.
Butterfly Lighting
A good way to create flat, even lighting that is conducive to on-camera filtration and post-photo-shoot filtration in Photoshop is a technique called butterfly lighting. With this technique, a light is placed directly in front of and above the subject. An equally strong light is used as a fill light from below to remove shadows under the eyes and create a flat, even illumination. With some butterfly lighting setups, a reflector is used in place of a second light below the subject.
Dual Side Lighting
Another popular way to create flattering light is to set a light to the right and left of the subject, often bounced from umbrellas. If desired, a light can be added below the subject to even out the shadows created from above. In some configurations, a reflector is used in place of a third light to reflect light upwards to remove unwanted shadows below the nose, eyes and lips.
Dramatic Lighting Effects
For some glamour shots, dramatic effects can be achieved by using a single light on one side of the subject, and either no light or a single reflector as fill on the other side. Experiment with moving the light for different looks. If you have access to an old theatrical Fresnel lens you can experiment with creating single light glamour. Many classic glamour photographs from the 1940s and 1950s were captured with a single Fresnel and a reflector.
Effects of Reflector Color on Glamour Photography
The overall feel of a glamour photograph can be dramatically changed by changing the color of reflectors. These rules also apply to umbrellas, too. White tends to be very neutral and does little to change the feel of the light. Silver tends to reflect more light, but with a cooler feel. Pure gold reflectors warm up the light but reflect less than white or silver reflectors. There are a number of contemporary reflectors that combine gold and silver and give the effect of more light reflection and a warmer feel than pure silver.
Tags: below subject, butterfly lighting, create flat, create flat even, flat even, glamour photograph, light reflect
