Simple One-Light Setups for Your Portrait Sessions
WITH ANNIE MARIE
Sometimes lighting can seem unapproachable and daunting. When just starting out with studio lighting for your portraits, we often get confused, frustrated, and overwhelmed with so many choices and options.
I’m going to show you 8 very simple one light setups that you can start with, each offering a different look. Once you are comfortable with these, you can modify and add to them to create more complex lighting setups. You may want or need to add in a hair light, rim light, background light, fill light, etc., but let’s take it one step at a time. Keep it simple until you’ve mastered the basics.
All of these setups can be used with strobes or constant lights. I use both. You can even apply the elements of the setups with natural window light. For these setups, the backdrop being used is Graphite, which provides a neutral background that allows you to clearly see the differences in these one light setups.
Graphite
Gray Solid Color Backdrop for Photography
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Lights & Modifiers for Your Portrait Photography: Softboxes, Umbrellas, and More
As mentioned, you can use either strobes or constant lights for your studio lighting. I personally love both for different reasons. No matter what light you choose, one-light setups can be modified with various photography backdrops to create unique looks. Find what works for you.
Constant lights are great because they show you the light you're getting as you work. Nowadays, constant lighting comes in many different brands and choices. I use them most in my studio now because I love the ease of use and the ability to see the lights as I go. The two main drawbacks are that they are not as powerful as strobes, and they can heat up a small space as they can run hot. Some newer models run cool, which is a huge benefit.
Strobes are the workhorses and are the most common choice among studio photographers. They are more powerful than constant lights, allowing you to capture more movement and high-contrast details. The only drawback is that you need to take more test shots to get the exposure right (unless you use a light meter), and there's a need for a good understanding of the menus and controls of all the strobes and transmitters you are using.
There are many choices for modifiers. You just need to find what gives you the look you love. Options include parabolic umbrellas, softboxes, beauty dishes, ring lights, dome lights, standard reflectors, grids, snoots, bare bulbs, and more. Parabolic umbrellas (shoot into) and softboxes (shoot through) are the two most commonly used. Using modifiers like softboxes or umbrellas can drastically change how your one-light setups appear in a portrait session.
Fill Light Tips
There are several ways to add fill light to a subject or scene. Fill light helps to soften shadows. Common ways to add fill include using a second strobe/light, a white v-flat, reflectors, white walls, or an eye lighter. When adding fill light to your portrait sessions, consider how it interacts with the one-light setups to soften shadows and highlight facial features.
Note: In the setups I am showing, I use the main light to camera left. That is just my approach, but you can set it up from camera right if you prefer. There’s no right or wrong here. Just keep in mind that if you're using a background with a scene that has shadows, you'll need to match the direction of light to those shadows.
SETUP 1
Large modifier to subject left. I have the light feathering across the subject. This gives a Rembrandt style lighting with more shadow on the opposite side of the face. This one-light setup is great for a classic fine art look with lovely shaping. You can fill in a bit with the v-flat. You can omit the fill or even use a black v-flat for a very moody image. This one-light setup works wonderfully and can be paired with a variety of photography backdrops for different effects.
SETUP 2
Large modifier at a 45-degree angle to subject. A bit higher and angled down so the catchlights are at 10 or 2. This is probably the most used one-light setup that still gives some shadowing and shape to the face, yet is flattering to all. This is my go-to for most portrait sessions. Adding in some fill on the opposite side controls the shadows, making it perfect for portraits with a variety of photography backdrops.
SETUP 3
Large modifier directly in front of subject. The light is elevated above the subject and angled down. This is a beauty lighting setup that fills in shadows on the face. Since it is a large modifier, it will be a softer light. You can add in a fill light to both sides and even an eyelighter underneath if you want a totally flawless and shadowless look. This is ideal for portrait sessions, especially when paired with a neutral or light photography backdrop.
SETUP 4
Bare bulb bounced off ceiling at a 45-degree angle to subject. I love bounced light as it fills the room with a super soft light. Soft shadows give a bit of shape but are very flattering. Your background, whether it's a textured or seamless photography backdrop, will be lit evenly with this light. Try bouncing the light from different areas to get a different look in your portrait session.
SETUP 5
Small modifier directly beside subject. This is similar to Setup 1, but using a smaller modifier and placing it farther behind the subject provides deeper shadows and a very moody image. Experiment with the fill to get the perfect balance of shadow that you desire in your sessions.
SETUP 6
Large modifier above subject. It’s important to have the modifier come out in front of the subject so the light will come down and fill in the face more. You will need to fill in the shadows so the eyes are not dark. This is a more unique lighting setup with the light coming from above, giving a fine art look. Pair this with a simple photography backdrop to enhance the look in your portrait session.
SETUP 7
Beauty dish placed directly in front of subject, higher above them and angled down a bit. This is considered beauty lighting. It is important that the subject is placed directly in front of the light direction. I like to fill in with an eyelighter below and v-flats on one or both sides to fill in and give a glow. This is similar to Setup 3, but since it's a smaller modifier, it gives more of a "punch" and contrast to the image. Perfect for portraits, especially in sessions where you want more dramatic effects with a photography backdrop.
SETUP 8
Extra large modifier to subject left. I have the light feathering across the subject. This is the same setup as Setup 1 but with the extra-large modifier. It fills the scene with more light and softer shadows. This is my second favorite one-light setup. Fill to your liking for the perfect look, especially with your chosen backdrop.
Refining Your One Light Setups for Perfect Portrait Sessions
As you try your one-light setups, experiment with different photography backdrops to see how the light affects the background and overall composition of your shot. Once you find which of these setups work for you, play around with modifiers, sizes, distance, fills, grids, gels, adding lights, etc., to develop your own go-to setups that reflect your personal style. Try not to do too much that you get overwhelmed. It is much better to have a few setups you do very well than a dozen that you don’t.It’s just as important that you have fun doing it!
Technical Details - Camera: Canon R6 // Lens: Canon 24-70R // Lights/Strobes: Small Rig (constant light) and Profoto B10 (strobe) // Modifiers: 50in. Parabolic Umbrella w/diffuser, 70in. Parabolic Umbrella w/diffuser, and 36in. Parabolic Umbrella w/diffuser // White V-Flat for fill // Small Eyelighter