Studio photography and Lighting

As I will need to take studio shots for my newspaper and not being a photography student, I have done some research into studio photography and lighting so I can be educated for when it comes to the photo shoot itself. I have already done a post on journalistic photography, but this is a very different slant to that, with all shots set up how the photographer wants them, as opposed to having the chances of a good photo down to pot luck, as in the world of the paparazzi.

The lighting in a photo is what can make your image iconic or poor quality. While natural light is often sufficient when taking photos, the flash which is often built into standard SLR cameras lights up the scene, allowing the camera to pick up that light and create an image of what is in front of it. However, neither of these options are relevant when the photography is taking place in a studio. The obvious advantages of taking photos in studio conditions are that you can control variables such as the weather (there is none inside), and you can adjust the lighting to your image. Darker images can give a sense of warmth within the picture, and brighter images can have a more uplifting effect, and this can be manipulated through what is literally the flick of a switch.

The typical lighting setup would be the 'two light' system, whereby two lights are used, one facing the subject of the photo, and another on the other side of them, creating a 'soft halo of light' around them. The first light is the brightest, so a soft box is often used.

Despite everybody taking a lot of care and attention over lighting; in recent times, lighting has become more editable on image manipulation programs like Photoshop, a tool I will no doubt be using.

When it comes to my studio shoot I will be sure to make good use of the facilities we have at college, with a range of cameras and lighting. I will also use the 'two light' system, as is the convention for studio shoots.