How to Set Up Basic Studio Lighting

Enclosed studios give photographers maximum control of the light in a photograph. Practicing in the studio develops an understanding of light and its relation to various camera settings. Begin with a basic studio lighting set up, and continue developing your skills by experimenting with other variations. The basic studio lighting set up consists of bounce umbrellas and two monolights or flash units that illuminate the subject and one background light.


Things You'll Need:

• 3 light stands
• 3 moonlights or flash units
• 3 bounce umbrellas
• Digital camera
• Gray card

Instructions

1. Attach one monolight or flash unit and one bounce umbrella to each of three light stands. Use bounce umbrellas that have a diameter between 20 and 30 inches when fully extended.
2. Position the subject 5 to 7 feet from the drop, or mark the floor with the subject's position to complete the setup without the subject.
3. Position one stand approximately 5 feet from the subject, and at a 45-degree angle to the subject's left. Extend the stand to position the light between 6 and 7 feet high. Attach the camera to this light with a sync using strobes or flash units.
4. Set the camera to aperture priority or Av mode, and set the aperture to f/11.
5. Turn on the camera lens' auto-focus function, and fire a test shot at the subject from the position you intend to shoot from. Alternatively, fire the shot at a prop that stands at a spot designated for the subject.
6. Adjust the intensity of the light until your camera exposes the front left light at 1/250 seconds.
7. Position another light stand approximately 5 feet in front of the subject's position, and at a 45-degree angle to the right of that spot. Extend the stand between 6 and 7 feet high. Set the intensity of this light between one and two stops below the left light. Switch on the slave function on this light, if using a strobe or flash unit.
8. Position the third light stand behind the subject, and sufficiently to the side so that it is not in the shot. Aim the light at the background at a 45-degree angle. Extend this light to match the height of the subject, and adjust the intensity of the light to equal the intensity of the front left light (i.e. 1/250 at f/11). Switch on the slave function on this light, if using a strobe or flash unit.
9. Instruct the subject to hold an 18 percent gray card facing toward the camera, or prop the card at the subject's spot, and between 4 and 7 feet high (i.e. the height of the average person).
10. Look through the lens and fill the frame with the gray card, then fire a shot. Use this shot to set the white balance with the camera's custom white balance function.