How to get this soft, golden spotlight on model?

http://imgur.com/a/sJZ​Gs
Catchlight here

Planning to shoot this style in a studio, will have to go out of my way to buy 3 lights of course (key, fill, hair). Arris are so expensive, but I might have to bite the bullet. I do own an AlienBee if that might work.

My style is much tighter shots though, like shoulder up so I may want a smaller beam. I love how soft and golden this light is. How is that done? Whenever I gel my flash it just comes out orange, how amateur of me to not know how to make it yellow/gold! I also love how the edges of the beam fade smoothly thats a must.

On the right half of the 1st link, you can see on the model's face shadow side is not pitch black but looks to be filled, how the hell is this done at night?

I might be a mile out, but it looks to me like the lighting opposite of your plans (there's no obvious hair, fill).

The 'success' of those images is the contrast between the warm subject and cool background.

Whilst you can reproduce this in a studio with gels, it'd take some creative thinking about background interest that you will then have to light (maybe 2 lights)

The light on the subject looks more like light painting with a flashlight, to recreate that with flash would best be done with several speedlights pointed at different parts of the subject.

But if you're only 'seeing' the warm light on the model, that's easy to achieve with a gelled flash.

IMHO as a lighting experiment, it's not a great example, if you examine the lighting pattern on the model, the lights are really not flattering, and the use of flashlights means it's not even sharp, but it'll be interesting to see your results.

There are thousands of available colors via gel: get a swatchbook. In the example image, the b/g isn't doing much so it's enough to get the f/g color into range, then fine-tune in post. The pools of light might originate from multiple sources, or from a single source shot through blocking material with holes in it.

Catchlight points to on axis fill plus main to the side.

Do not think this is soft light at all.

Photo of girl in head scarf does not seem to have the full that the other has.

Could be something as simple as one or two tungsten flashlights

Imgur is a pain in the neck, but after looking again I think it is definitely flashlights.

Feet and knees are lit at different angles than the head. Maybe as many as 4-5 flashlights. Gelled speedlights would work too.

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #18353814
Imgur is a pain in the neck, but after looking again I think it is definitely flashlights.

Feet and knees are lit at different angles than the head. Maybe as many as 4-5 flashlights. Gelled speedlights would work too.

Phil V wrote in post #18353422
Whilst you can reproduce this in a studio with gels, it'd take some creative thinking about background interest that you will then have to light (maybe 2 lights)

The light on the subject looks more like light painting with a flashlight, to recreate that with flash would best be done with several speedlights pointed at different parts of the subject.

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #18353814
Imgur is a pain in the neck, but after looking again I think it is definitely flashlights.

Feet and knees are lit at different angles than the head. Maybe as many as 4-5 flashlights. Gelled speedlights would work too.

Hi guys, you were right. The original photographer did get back to me and said it was a gelled flashlight with no other info provided. I would be interested in trying it but as you can tell, flashlights are too low powered usually, and I dont want blurry pictures due to low shutter speed. So I am interested in recreating this with Arri continuous lights or an Alien Bee B400 monolight flash (which I actually own). Not so worried about the multiple spots, just interested in the main spot on the face.

My issue is trying to figure out how I can make a flash do this with the smooth falloff edges, is it a tight grid?

I think the guy used barn doors on the flashlights to get a falloff like that. See this link for more training ~~ https://petapixel.com …portraits-diy-barn-doors/

But I think a black foam snoot can do the trick ~~

I thought about a snoot, but a focussing flashlight (e.g. Maglite) can make an interesting pattern that seems evident in OP's examples. The central spot is bright and quite even, while being surrounded by a large diffused disc. Will experiment this evening.

RicoTudor wrote in post #18353936
I thought about a snoot, but a focussing flashlight (e.g. Maglite) can make an interesting pattern that seems evident in OP's examples. The central spot is bright and quite even, while being surrounded by a large diffused disc. Will experiment this evening.

try shooting a strobe with a snoot through a glass ash tray. everybody has a cheap glass ash tray right? :P


seriously. I suspected it was just a simple flashlight because of the irregular nature of the edge of the light. Those cheap plastic flashlights with the terrible reflector and plastic front "lens" tries to focus the light but really can't because nothing is really rigid. i bet shining a snooted speedlight through an irregular piece of glass would cause a similar effect.

OP, the original photographer did was able to make it work with flashlights, why would you think you couldn't make it work?

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #18354087
I suspected it was just a simple flashlight because of the irregular nature of the edge of the light. Those cheap plastic flashlights with the terrible reflector and plastic front "lens" tries to focus the light but really can't because nothing is really rigid.

Actually, the flashlight should be higher-grade like a Maglite that has a true parabolic reflector and a focus function. I can generate the exact pattern wanted by the OP. I also generated the pattern using a studio strobe, but it's a complete nightmare. Snoot and grid, even together, create a giant amorphous blob of light. The strobe solution is a projector fixture (which I own), or the optical equivalent. Since projectors are out-of-budget for most photogs, I cobbled together the equivalent. Item list in optical order: strobe, snoot, diffusion sheet, steel plate with 1cm aperture, Leitz Elmaron 85mm projector lens. This assembly projects a small circle of light several meters, and the edges can be hard or soft by adjusting focus. The photon inefficiency is amazing in that I need 100's of watt-seconds.

RicoTudor wrote in post #18354138
Actually, the flashlight should be higher-grade like a Maglite that has a true parabolic reflector and a focus function. I can generate the exact pattern wanted by the OP. I also generated the pattern using a studio strobe, but it's a complete nightmare. Snoot and grid, even together, create a giant amorphous blob of light. The strobe solution is a projector fixture (which I own), or the optical equivalent. Since projectors are out-of-budget for most photogs, I cobbled together the equivalent. Item list in optical order: strobe, snoot, diffusion sheet, steel plate with 1cm aperture, Leitz Elmaron 85mm projector lens. This assembly projects a small circle of light several meters, and the edges can be hard or soft by adjusting focus. The photon inefficiency is amazing in that I need 100's of watt-seconds.

Rico, I am not trying to recreate the multi-lighting pattern. I am just interested in the light on the face/upper shoulders, can you offer advice for making that?

Yes, that is the scenario I addressed: face-sized circle of light with soft edges. Am preparing the images for public enjoyment. I'll aim to recreate the golden hue and some fill, but those factors are frankly trivial.

RicoTudor wrote in post #18354152
Yes, that is the scenario I addressed: face-sized circle of light with soft edges. Am preparing the images for public enjoyment. I'll aim to recreate the golden hue and some fill, but those factors are frankly trivial.

You're saying with a strobe and a tight grid you cant create the exact type of spot in the original example??? Im surprised its that difficult, I see simple examples on youtube on how to grid a light and the beams look fine (though rather large).

Light on light.

Two lights, both at the same position (say, 45-45): in this case the kicker (with a snoot) sits in front of the larger source, and it's aimed to wherever you need to 'point'. The little light is the main, the larger one is the fill.

moodlover wrote in post #18354166
You're saying with a strobe and a tight grid you cant create the exact type of spot in the original example??? Im surprised its that difficult, I see simple examples on youtube on how to grid a light and the beams look fine (though rather large).

Okay, here's my experiment. Be aware that projector fixtures and attachments do exist for your purpose. However, in the interest of science, I am using components that every self-respecting studio should have laying around. First are the results: