Lighting can make or break your photos. This is one of the most important elements to get right, yet it is also one of the most common areas where mistakes are made. By understanding some of the key missteps, you can rapidly improve your results and avoid some of the pitfalls that hold many people back.
coming to you from john graceThis informative video highlights five lighting mistakes that can affect your images. The first mistake is to leave out the catch light – the reflection of your main light in your subject’s eyes. Without these, your subject’s eyes may look lifeless. To get this right, adjust your lighting until you see the reflection from the camera’s perspective or take a test shot to find the right angle. Grace explains that certain conditions, such as long eyelashes, can block the Catch Light. Although you can add them in post-processing, it is always better to have them in front of the camera.
Another common problem is ineffective lighting. When the position of the subject changes relative to the light, it can create unintentional effects such as ambient lighting, which can make features appear less attractive. Grace suggests paying close attention to the positioning of your subject and making sure the light hits both eyes for a balanced look. Deliberate choices like split lighting are fine for dramatic effects, but accidental displacement often results in unwanted shadows or wrinkles.
Subject separation is also important. Without edge lights or hair lights, your subject may blend into the background, making the image look flat. Grace suggests using lighting at the edges to create contrast or making sure the background is brighter than the subject. This step adds dimension and ensures that your subject stands out against a similarly colored or darker background. This is just the beginning, so watch the video above for Grace’s full story.
If you want to continue learning about how to light an image, be sure to check out “Lighting the Face: Lighting for Headshots and Portraits with peter hurley,
