Dramatic Lighting - Guide/examples?

I do mostly studio work, and I'd like to start doing dramatic lighting. I have a good understanding of how light works, but I'm not very creative; I don't know in what ways to use my light to make the scene appear dramatic.

Suggested resources?

HSS or ND filters are a great tool. Visualize your light, set your strobes and adjust intensity to taste. Have fun!

First, google and youtube are your best friends . Just type 'dramatic lighting' keyword.

nixland wrote in post #18647558
First, google and youtube are your best friends . Just type 'dramatic lighting' keyword.

I haven't had much luck. For example, I type that and go to image results - and most of the pictures are pretty bland. I wouldn't call them dramatic.

Andrew said it best, get out there and practice.

Looking at photos, watching videos or even reading books only lets you see your goal. Actually doing it gets you to your goal. I use a display mannequin to practice on. It's cheaper than working with a model and it doesn't complain as much. Plus it avoids any embarrassment of fumbling around getting it wrong more than getting it right. The one thing you don't want to do is try to figure out from scratch a lighting setup when you have a live person in front of the camera. PRactice ahead of time and then fine tune it with a person.

-Duck- wrote in post #18647568
Andrew said it best, get out there and practice.

Looking at photos, watching videos or even reading books only lets you see your goal. Actually doing it gets you to your goal. I use a display mannequin to practice on. It's cheaper than working with a model and it doesn't complain as much. Plus it avoids any embarrassment of fumbling around getting it wrong more than getting it right. The one thing you don't want to do is try to figure out from scratch a lighting setup when you have a live person in front of the camera. PRactice ahead of time and then fine tune it with a person.

I like your mannequin idea, but as I said - I'm not creative. I need examples to learn from.

How does the mannequin's skin compare to a person's? That can drastically change the light result.

icor1031 wrote in post #18647572
I like your mannequin idea, but as I said - I'm not creative. I need examples to learn from.

How does the mannequin's skin compare to a person's? That can drastically change the light result.

My mannequin is a cheap $20 plastic one from ebay. I spray painted it a neutral tone (it was white) to get closer to a skin tone. As a learning tool it does not have to replicate skin exactly since different skin tones reflect light differently. The thing I like about the mannequin is that the light does get exaggerated a bit, letting me see how the light interacts on the subject. I can see ratios better and how the light contours a face.

Here is where you can grab a photo of a lighting style you like and practice on replicating it in a no pressure environment. Once you can replicate a look and are comfortable with the setup then you can grab a live person to really test the setup. Because you are "in the ballpark" with the mannequin you can get to the desired look faster than if you were trying to figure it out fresh. From there it's just a matter of exploring and fine tuning the look.

Hope that makes sense.

Were working with light, fall off and shadow casting. "skin" tone is optional. Ive got a manikin on my short list for experimenting.
One cannot teach or explain creativity, however one can discover it. Read, watch the videos to get you a jump start.. however
hours worth of "less than desirable" results will be the best teacher.

HTH & GL,
Andrew

icor1031 wrote in post #18647562

nixland wrote in post #18647558
First, google and youtube are your best friends . Just type 'dramatic lighting' keyword.

I haven't had much luck. For example, I type that and go to image results - and most of the pictures are pretty bland. I wouldn't call them dramatic.

Can you show us some examples of images that you consider dramatic?

Hundreds, thousands (?) here IMHO, pick one that reflects your goals and share with us.

https://www.google.com …_AUICigB&biw=14​40&bih=786

Learn from the Master: https://en.wikipedia.o​rg/wiki/Caravaggio

One light, hard, no white backgrounds. As for skin texture and modelling of faces, use yourself as subject. All the Baroque Masters indulged in selfies.

nixland wrote in post #18647587
Can you show us some examples of images that you consider dramatic?

Examples: https://imgur.com/a/Kl​49pNT
The last one in that list is mine. The second to last is questionable, as far as being dramatic (imo). The first 3 are my favorites in that list.

But, these use few lights. I'd like to learn to get more ideas similar to these, but I'd also like to learn to shoot dramatic with 10+ lights.

One light, flag to the left, black b/d, shoot-through panel as key, no fill:

ShutterKlick wrote in post #18647548
HSS or ND filters are a great tool. Visualize your light, set your strobes and adjust intensity to taste. Have fun!

Play play play with light! Its the only suggestion I have. You can read books and look at Youtube University
videos till the end of time and wont learn all you need.

GL,
Andrew

I shoot in studio, but that's a good idea I hadn't thought of (ND to kill ambient). I would have just adjusted my lens, but that gets me outside the optimal performance range.

icor1031 wrote in post #18647622
Examples: https://imgur.com/a/Kl​49pNT
The last one in that list is mine. The second to last is questionable, as far as being dramatic (imo). The first 3 are my favorites in that list.

But, these use few lights. I'd like to learn to get more ideas similar to these, but I'd also like to learn to shoot dramatic with 10+ lights.

Gavin Hoey has a tutorial on that first image + plenty more in his "Take and make great photography" series on adorama TV on YouTube. Learn how to read and reverse ingineer the light in photos you consider dramatic.