MASTERING OVERHEAD LIGHTING FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY 

WITH ANTHONY ROMANO

Overhead lighting setups can be hard to perfect, but worth the extra effort. Check out how Anthony Romano, a Nashville-based portrait photographer, used this technique for an editorial & edgy, but still clean, look.

THE SETUP

In Anthony’s garage studio, he used just two lights and the Toffee backdrop from BackgroundTown. The subtle texture added an interesting element to the portrait without distracting from the main focus: Bayley. The Toffee background ended up photographing more on the gray/blue side, which Anthony further emphasized in post-production to fit the vibe of the images. For lights, Anthony used just two: A Flashpoint XPLOR 300 Pro light overhead, with a Photek Softlighter Umbrella and diffusion fabric, and a Godox AD200PRO as a second light aimed at his garage door to bounce back and fill in the shadows. In addition, the black side of a v-flat was used camera right.

Toffee

Brown Backdrop for Photography
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Tip #1: Light Size & Placement is key

The placement of your overhead light will be the key to a flattering portrait, in multiple ways.First, the height. Anthony raised his overhead light as high as it would go in his 8-foot tall garage. Second, the placement of the light in relation to your subject. Anthony made sure his subject was standing on the edge of the umbrella, so that there were no distracting hotspots. A large, soft light will work best to minimize harsh shadows and get smooth transitions between highlights and shadows.

Tip #2: Become a Control Freak

With overhead lighting, things can quickly spiral out of control with unwanted hotspots, light spill, or glare on the ground. In Anthony’s case, the garage floor was working against him by bouncing light back on to the subject. To combat this, he placed a v-flat camera right, using the black side to absorb the light coming up from the floor.Anthony also added a second light, pointed at his garage door to allow the light to bounce back in the right places, and fill in unwanted shadows. Lighting modifiers can also come in handy for an overhead lighting setup. Grids or barn doors will control the spread of light and prevent unwanted spill onto your subject.

Tip #3: Experiment

Don’t be afraid to try different placements, heights, angles and more to get your desired effect. Tilting the light even a little bit towards the front can change the look of your light completely - providing a nice even portrait light. Tilt it to the back for a dramatic rim light. Balance your off-camera lights with ambient lighting in the scene to get a more natural, dimensional look. Experiment and play with this setup to achieve your desired vision.

Embracing New Techniques: Mastering Overhead Lighting for Portrait Photography

Anthony Romano’s dedication to refining his overhead lighting setup has broadened his photographic capabilities, proving that perseverance can lead to mastering even the most challenging techniques. Overhead lighting, once a challenge, is now a versatile tool in his artistic arsenal, ready to enhance his future photography projects.

FINAL IMAGES

Learn more about Anthony Romano Creative on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, and his website.