Lights, Camera... Nude!: A Guide to Lighting the Female Nude for Photography (9 page)

Model zone:
As with many bounced light setups, the model zone is large, allowing the model plenty of freedom of movement without needing to adjust the lights.

One
advantage
of this single-monolight approach and lighting setup is that the monolight, camera, and light stand all fit into a single carrying case. Changing the light is simple, and the studio light can be used in conjunction with available daylight.

Disadvantages
of a single light setup can include difficulty controlling contrast and fill light. You may also have trouble achieving even illumination.

Lighting Diagram 5: One light, location bounce

Model: Johnna S.

Where you place your studio lights determine what is seen, and not seen. Nowhere is light more controlled than in the studio. It’s no accident that many of the lighting setups in this guide are for the studio.

In the studio you have the ultimate control of the intensity, direction, and quality of each light. And to a large extent you can control reflections and color casts.

Photo 35: Restricting light: snoots and gels

Model: Lauren M.

Lighting Setup#
6
Category:
Restricted light
Skill: Moderate
Light Kit:4
Heads:4
Model Zone:
Small

Take away all the lights and the scene is black, add the first light and the model is revealed. Keep adding light and shadows are filled, the background appears, the face is highlighted, and the hair is lit. You can sculpt with light, determining what is seen and what is not by adding modifiers to restrict the light from spilling. The most restrictive is a snoot. In this setup, four snoots, each with a colored gel, are used to define the body through lighting.

The particular snoots in this shot are fairly wide as snoots go, slightly narrower than barn doors in their light output. Each snoot has a different colored gel.

Photo 36: Restricted light, snoots, gels

Model: Lauren M.

Lights #1 and
#
2
:
Two snooted strobes provide a warm light to the face and torso.

Light
#
3
:
A snooted strobe hits the lower torso and leg with reddish light.

Light
#
4
:
A snooted strobe provides a cool light, and helps neutralize the warmer lights where it overlaps and mixes with red from light #3.

Photo 37: Restricted light info

Model: Lauren M.

Lighting Diagram 6: Restricted light, snoots, gels

Photo 38: Sculpt with light

Model: Narzahni C.

Lighting Setup#
7
Category:
Sculpt with light
Skill: Moderate
Light Kit:4
Heads:2
Model Zone:
Exact

Think as much about what you are
not
showing as what you
are
showing with light. Frontally angled lights allow you to see the pose. Often a more striking composition can be achieved with lights from above, and the side, and with less fill light. Again, when photographing the nude, use only the minimum number of lights you need.

The more frontal and/or diffused your light is, the more flat the model will appear, and the shadows will disappear. If a large diffused light is moved overhead, it begins to simulate the effect of natural daylight, showing your model as we are accustomed to seeing.

With side lighting and direct (undiffused) lighting, your model becomes more three-dimensional, and harder shadows begin to define the subtle curves of muscles and roundness of limbs. Side lighting also evokes a mood of late afternoon or early evening depending on the angle and quality of the light. Side lighting is normally more dramatic and is thus regularly used in lighting nudes.

Your background also helps you to sculpt with light. Darker backgrounds allow you to merge the unlit side of your model into the darkness without excessive fill light.

With a single gridded light, the figure emerges from shadow. The lights reveal the edges of the torso, while the feet recede into the darkness.

The model’s face in this image is in shadow. The light on her front is controlled by a grid, and the light behind her only barely lights her profile.

Model Zone:
The model’s movement zone is exact due to the limited output angle of the grid on the strobe spotlighting her derrière. Her leg hides the monolight and light stand providing the backlight.