Approaches To Studio Lighting
Assignment #5 – Portrait Lighting Strategies


Please hand in your unmounted prints in a polyethylene or polypropylene storage bag together with conservation boards, proof sheet(s) and this sheet.

Assignment Description:
Using either a Hassleblad medium format camera with a 150mm lens, or a Digital SLR (both available for check out from the school) make three portraits in the studio employing Rembrandt lighting, butterfly lighting, and side lighting. Hand in three silver-gelatin black and white prints, or three archival ink jet color prints.

Assignment Objective:
The three lighting strategies required for this assignment are the most common and essential to know for the field of commercial portraiture and fashion. This assignment will help the student understand the reasoning behind these different approaches and prepare them for the workplace. It is imperative that the student reach an understanding of why the lights are placed at particular positions and degrees of intensity, rather than just taking the attitude of blindly following a recipe.

Suggestions:
The set ups for these three lighting strategies range from extremely simple to rather complex. Therefore, the student is encouraged to take careful notes during demos. The student is encouraged to work with models who are not self-conscious in front of the camera and see the project as a kind of useful and fun collaboration with the photographer. Generally speaking, it is usually best to accomplish the task at hand with the minimum of lights possible, giving greater control. The student is encouraged to experiment with lighting ratios, and to try different studio tools for accomplishing similar ends. These will be discussed extensively in class.

Evaluation Criteria:
Craftsmanship - Sharpness
Exposure (full shadow and highlight detail)
Contrast (a solid black, a bright white, and a full range of gray values)
Value (appropriate lightness / darkness)
Needs dodging and/or burning
Cleanness (no dust, water spots, scratches)
Print damage
Aesthetic / Conceptual refinement (accomplishes assignment description and meets objective)

Grade ___________


Student Name_______________________________


Teacher Comments: