FMS403DBBeauty: Digital Image Production

Recently in our weekly practical lesson in the photography studio with Chris, we discussed and practiced how to create 'Mood photography'. In the studio I got the chance to observe window lighting and also a similar artificial lighting created by white light reflecting boards and and flash lighting.

We began by shooting with a high key bright background. and placed light boards in front of this background so that the lighting could bounce against each other making the bright lighting travel and then hit the model we were shooting. This lighting set up creates a really soft effect to the image that your capturing.

Methods;
-Create normal set up with camera, station and flash cables
-Turn lights up to full power and face onto the wall(background)
- Need two flash heads (flash heads have sensitive sensors so when two are plugged in they will work in conjunction working alongside each other)
-Normal 1/160 Camera Settings

You want to direct your model to stand in front of light reflecting boards where the light is being collected, whilst you are photographing your models behind the light boards.

Here is a basic example of the set up and positioning of the model;

If you take a photograph and it is overexposed making your model look washed out, you can adjust the flash heads for less extreme bright light. The 85ml Lense is the best lense to use for portraiture/close face shots, so this is the lense we used when experimenting. White balance is changing the colour of white on camera/photograph, this prevents you getting a colour cast. the best white balance to use on camera is the daylight icon on the camera which looks like a sun symbol.

When shooting our model with daylighting we created the same set up minus the lights and flash heads. We moved our camera model and computer into the daylight studio creating the same set up with light boards, but this time placing our model with their back to the window and lights boards in front of them this time so that you are capturing them through the gap of the boards. We slowed down the shutter speed and ISO which ended created a brighter light on the image. The effect made with this method of lighting creates a softer mood to the image. After we went through the different types of lighting and observing the moods that each image held from the methods, I enjoyed the effect that window lighting made more, it created such a soft and flattering lighting that made the model look relaxed, glowy and more moody.

Here are some images taken by Chris which best describe the two types of lighting we played with;