Importance of Lighting in The Beauty Photography
Successful beauty images are a combination of a few important elements like Model choice, Retouching, Makeup, and last but definitely not least, lighting. Every element has a vital role to play. The image won’t reach its potential even if one element falls apart. I am writing about Lighting in particular required for Beauty photography. There are three simple beauty lighting setups that I will discuss.
C-Stand or Boom stand plays a vital role for the main light in every set up to increase the strength, stability, and convenience. In beauty photography, it’s best to place the strobe in a Paramount light position and the C-Stand arm allows me to centre the light without the stand getting in a very convenient way.
In these setups, we can use one of the most common light modifiers for beauty photography.
A beauty dish creates smooth light on the skin but it also has a bit of contrast and pops into the shadows. It’s great for creating radiant-looking skin.
Let’s take a look at 3 different lighting setups, all using a beauty dish:
SETUP 1:
- Basic beauty Setup
- Purpose: This setup is glowing, high key, and often when showcasing skincare.
- Strobes:- 3 strobes
Step 1: Begin by placing a 3ft×4ft Softbox directly behind your subject. This gives you a high key white background and creates rim lights that wrap around your subject and beautifully flatters their jawline and cheekbones.
Step 2: Add your main light ( a white beauty dish) on a C -stand so it is centred in front of your subject.
Step 3: Put a 1ft×4 ft strip softbox underneath your subject’s chin to fill the shadows. This is called clamshell lighting
SETUP 2:
- Warm / Rich skin tone Setup
- Purpose: This one is also fabulous when you want warm and healthy-looking skin and hair. I typically use a Brown background based upon the subject’s skin tone.
- Strobes: 2 strobes
Step 1: Set up a white beauty dish as your main light. It can be centred or slightly to the right of the frame. Use a white or silver light reflector/bouncer to fill in the shadows.
Step 2: Add a strobe with a 20-degree grid to light the background.
Step 3: Have someone blow or move the hair to create interest.
SETUP 3:
- Luxurious Hair
- Purpose: This shot is meant to be darker, more dramatic, and more luxurious. I recommend a darker background for richer results.
- Strobes: 3-4 strobes
Step 1: Use a centred silver beauty dish for a bit more contrast.
Step 2: Add two strip softboxes on either side of the frame as rim lights. Raise them tall so they illuminate the top of the hair.
Step 3: Place a silver bounce reflector under the chin to Brighten the Shadows or consider the 4th strobe if you have one to create clamshell lighting
These lighting techniques can be used to create the most stunning and professional-looking images. But always remember the other two elements Model & Retouching of the image will have a strong impact too.
Pro Tip: Always tether your shoot (using tethering software, I use Capture One) on the computer and view your images on a large screen.
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