Light It Like Jeff: Lighting for Moody & Colorful Portraits | EP 5
Today, Jeff's in the studio with his model, Rollson, to bring to life a series of moody, colorful portraits. The concept? Bold hues and dramatic lighting. "Rollson reached out and said, 'Let's shoot something colorful,' and here we are," Jeff says as he prepares for a creative session full of light and contrast.
Four Lights, Infinite Possibilities
Jeff dives into the details of his four-light setup, revealing how each element contributes to the overall look of the portrait:
Blue Beauty Dish: The main light is a beauty dish with a grid and a blue gel. This casts a striking, concentrated blue light onto Rollson, keeping the background in shadow. “I want this background to stay pretty dark,” Jeff says. The grid ensures that the light stays focused where it’s needed: on Rollson.
Orange Background Snoot: With an optical snoot and an orange gel, the second light throws an eye-catching line pattern onto the background. “That stripe pattern draws your eye right to the center of the frame,” Jeff explains, adding depth and intrigue to the shot.
Orange Kicker for Illusion: The third light mimics the background pattern reflecting onto Rollson’s face. “It’s creating the illusion that the pattern is a light source,” Jeff shares. This clever trick makes the whole scene feel more connected.
Rim Light with a Punch: The fourth light is a strobe with a 20-degree grid, adding a neutral rim light that separates Rollson from the dark background. This light introduces a slight purple hue when mixed with the blue and orange tones, giving the image an unexpected twist.
To round out the lighting setup, Jeff cleverly positions a V-Flat with a black side to provide contrast on the right side of the frame, balancing the colorful elements on the left. “Left side of the frame is that orange pattern, right side is the black V-Flat,” he describes, effectively splitting the image into two dynamic parts.
Experimenting with Angles
As the lights come together, Jeff starts shooting. The combination of colors creates a stunning balance between cool blue and warm orange, with the neutral rim light giving the portrait a crisp finish. “It almost feels like there’s a purple tone in the final image, just from how these colors are blending,” Jeff points out.
He doesn’t stop at a single pose. He encourages Rollson to change it up, moving from looking straight into the camera to a more dynamic profile shot. “Don’t be afraid to move your subject around. You might get something you never would have thought of,” he advises. The addition of small hand movements adds even more flair to the final shots.
Bringing the Colors to Life
By layering colors and light in a thoughtful, creative way, Jeff shows how to transform a simple portrait into something vibrant and full of life. His tips for experimenting with lighting – using gels, grids, and clever positioning – are perfect for anyone looking to capture moody and colorful portraits that stand out.
Wanna Learn More?
Ready to create your own color-soaked portraits? Check out the whole "Light It Like Jeff" series to try out more of Jeff’s lighting techniques and see where they take your creativity!
Plus, we’ve got over 100 videos on our Behind the Scenes page with tips and tricks for photographers and videographers of all genres.
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