Studio lighting is all about manipulating light sources to create the right mood and composition for your photograph. Here are the fundamental terms you should be familiar with:
1. Light Source: It’s the origin of light that illuminates your subject. Studio lighting equipment includes different types of light sources such as strobes, continuous lights, and speedlights.
2. Softbox: A softbox is a lighting modifier that softens the light by diffusing it evenly around the subject. Softboxes come in different shapes and sizes, and their primary function is to create a softer and more flattering light.
3. Umbrella: A photographic umbrella is a versatile lighting modifier used to create diffused, specular, or bounced lighting. Umbrellas come in a wide range of types and sizes, like shoot-through, reflective, and parabolic.
4. Reflector: Reflectors are used to bounce light back onto your subject to fill in shadows and brighten specific areas. They can be white, silver, gold, or black, and you can adjust their position to create different effects.
5. Background: The background is an essential element of studio photography. You can choose a plain or textured background to create different moods and colors.
6. Lighting Setups: Different lighting setups are available that you can use to create specific effects depending on your subject and your artistic vision.
The Takeaway: Understanding the basics of studio lighting in photography requires you to be familiar with different lighting equipment types and how to place them for different lighting effects to enhance your subject.