Hello all:
I have not visited for a while so I thought I would drop in and see what was going on. It didn’t take long to see some controversy going on about background lights and with the various comments, I felt it would be good to try and help clear this up.
First, let’s visit Stephen A’s original comments. He seems to feel confined in his use of a background light saying that I specified to place it directly behind the subject and perpendicular to and 16 inches from the background avoiding any upward or downward tilt. My explanation about why this is done is very clear in my book but I will elaborate on it here for greater clarity. First, let me emphasize as I did in the book that this technique is for one and only one style of background lighting. That of placing a simple symmetrical glow over the shoulders of a head and shoulders portrait subject (not full length) to create separation and possibly a colorful accent to whatever color clothing they are wearing. It would be rather bad to assume that one lighting technique would be used for many different portrait background situations. Each requires it’s own thought about where we want the light to go and then to simply place light(s) in the correct position to achieve this goal. The 16 inch suggestion was just that. A suggested starting place for that specific technique.
Briefly, with regard to not tilting the light up or down, as I described in my book, the reason for this is very simple. If you tilt a light source up or down, what was a uniform circular pattern of light on the background, now becomes and ellipse or oval. Having an oval shaped patch of light coming up behind a subject, tends to be distracting and will draw attention to itself while a simple circular pattern fits comfortably over the shoulders and is easily adjusted to remain below the head. It is a pleasing glow over the shoulders that enhances the subject but does not distract from them.
This central glow is something that many background painters achieve by painting the material brighter and brighter and they approach the center of the background material. When your background is a solid color such as black seamless paper, the use of a simple background light is used as I described to achieve this effect. Other background effects are achieved by entirely different approaches.
This glow technique can be successfully used for one to several persons depending on how they are arranged. Also, with regard to the comment about the light fixture showing, this will happen mostly when you have the light very near the subject rather than nearer to the background as it should be and is avoidable if one simply pays attention to what they are seeing. Also remember that when the subject is at least 6 feet out from the background and the light is several feet behind the subject, it will appear much smaller from the position of the camera than if it were very near the subject and thus be far easier to hide. There is a logical reason for everything.
One must also be aware that the correct distance between subject and background should ideally be no less than 6 feet. Working with the subject closer than this to the background is the single greatest cause of unwanted shadows from the subject falling upon the background. This is a very common question but extremely simple to correct. For those who are working in a very confined space, they will be somewhat limited. I see endless portraits done with the subject very nearly touching the background. Not a good thing UNLESS your specific goal is the deliberately cast the subjects shadow onto the background for effect.
There are many ways to light a background. One of my favorites is to gently pull soft muslin toward one lower corner and lock it there creating graceful curved ripples in the fabric behind the subject. I then position a background light, usually with a color gel attached low and to one side so that it fires directly across the ripples in the fabric. This produces a pleasing group of soft, curving diagonal lines behind the subject. This is but one example of many, many possibilities. One cannot simply follow a single set of general instructions and consider it adequate for any situation. Each is unique and requires the photographer to think the process through as to where the light needs to go and how to get it there.
Absolutely no offense is intended to GerryEdwards but his statement about the placement of a background light behind the subject facing the background being wrong is simply incorrect. As I have already stated, a properly set up portrait situation places the subject at least 6 feet from the background which allows independent control over lighting on the subject and that of the background. Not sure why he thinks light will bounce off the background and hit the subject. That is simply incorrect. His suggestion of placing two lights, each on the opposite side of the background would create and entirely different effect than the one described. There are many valid background lighting techniques. Each creates a specific effect. There is no one that is correct more than another. Each is unique and valid for whatever effect it creates.
Anyone who has studied with me already knows that I am all about keeping things simple and using our heads more than lots of bulky equipment like booms. I have owned a boom for 30 years have have only found a need to use it two or three times. There is always a simpler, more effective way to create beautiful lighting and it’s usually the simplest way with the least amount of equipment.
Stefan, please feel free to e-mail me anytime you are having difficulty. I am always happy to help.
I hope this helps resolve this issue.
Best wishes to all,
