Feeling intimidated with lighting setups in the studio? Here’s a photography cheat sheet that will help you get started with classic one-light setups for portrait photography.
Lighting is one of the most important elements of shooting in the studio and is crucial to portrait photography. If you’re still new to studio work and portrait lighting, you can actually practice with one-light setups tried and tested by pros. We have several learning resources that cover this, the latest being a handy photography cheat sheet that features classic setups you can get started with.
The photography cheat sheet below by Digital Camera World features seven easy setups using just one light source and some modifiers. You’ll be surprised at the different looks and moods you can create with these, simple as they are.
The quintessential setup for portraits is the light with a softbox placed close and level with the head. This gives a beautiful, diffused light that illuminated the side of the face and produces long shadows, creating a flattering and slightly dramatic result. You can also place the light at a slightly higher angle to mimic the effect of natural light. This produces even more flattering portraits. If you want to reduce the contrast, use these two setups with a white reflector placed on the other side of the face to bounce some light on it. Use a silver reflector if you want to even out the shadow even more, but use carefully as it may take out some details of the jawline and neck.
If you want to get dramatic and experimental with your portraits, try moving the softbox to the front and underneath, or from high above your model. Neither of the two is actually flattering; they can look ghoulish and unnatural. But with the right creative vision and used as part of a special effect (like high contrast), they can help you produce some interesting results.
Want more tips for one-light portrait setups? We recommend checking out this video tutorial for dramatic portraits with one light source. Once you’re ready to try more advanced portrait lighting setups, we also suggest checking out these photography cheat sheets for simple lighting for photos and videos, 24 essential pro lighting setups, and comparing light modifiers for portraiture.