Fashion photography is an art that not only showcases clothing and accessories, but also the model. It can incorporate many emotions and portray a number of different moods: romantic, whimsical, traditional, mod or contemporary, just to name a few. One of the best ways to create a mood in fashion photography is by learning to exploit your lighting setup.
Clamshell Lighting
Clamshell lighting is a great option for headshots. This technique gives the model a very soft look. The best way to set up this lighting is by using two matching umbrellas. The camera will be quite close to the model. Smaller umbrellas allow you to get as close as possible to the model without getting in the way.
Attach the umbrellas to fill lights and set up in a clamshell effect at the top and bottom of your camera. You will be shooting through the center of the umbrellas, so make sure you have enough space for yourself. Because the umbrellas are so close to the lens of the camera, it will create almost a ring flash effect, which gives the portrait that "fashion" look.
Place the model very close to the backdrop. This will enable the model to cast a soft shadow all around his or her face, which acts as a gradient for more contrast. That way, especially when using a white background, the clothing the model is wearing, as well as the skin and hair, will pop off the background.
Opposing Lights
Using two lights on opposite sides of the model will create an interesting lighting effect and give your subject a "sculptural" look. Instead of using a fill light, which literally fills in the shadows (in effect, lightening them), use a second light that is relatively the same power as your main light.
A beauty dish can be used as your first light. Use either a reflector or a car silver foil window shade to create a funnel around the light, which is referred to as a "snoot." If the light is placed on one side of the model with only a small amount of light trickling through the snoot, it will create a gentle highlight that will emphasize the sculptural quality of the model's body.
Using a grid-spot main light is a great way to choose exactly where you want your light to be. Set it up slightly above the model's head and aim it at his or her face to create a gorgeous glow that accentuates the cheekbones and creates contrast by adding a background shadow. Make sure the grid-spot light is positioned on the opposite side of the beauty dish for the full effect.
Hard Lighting
Another easy technique is using hard lights to create sharp shadows and contrast in your model's face and body. An inexpensive lighting source are clip-on lights that can be purchased at any hardware store. These lights can be clipped anywhere, enabling you to be more flexible with your surroundings.
Clip the light on one side of your set and aim it at the side of the model's head. The light should be relatively close to the model; the farther away the light is, the softer the shadows will be. The close, hard light will create sharp-edged shadows, giving the model a stark, angular look. This technique is great for dramatic black-and-white headshots.
Tags: will create, camera will, beauty dish, close model, light which, main light, model head