That easy lightbulb again

Every once in a while I will take it out of the closet… my favorite light source to play with… that simple 100W light bulb in the cheapest enclosure I could find. It’s always fun to see the reaction of the attendees of the workshops when they see the possibilities they can have while shooting with a light source most would label as “unusable for some cool shots”.

 

One of the things you always have to remember when shooting with light is “distance” or in other words “the inverse square law”.
In very simple terms, if you use a light source really close to your model the light will fall off very rapidly, meaning you will get a lot of contrast in your shot, if you move the light further away the light will fall off less rapidly. So if you want to light a group it’s often wiser to move the lights a but further away, and if you want a striking high contrast portrait you can move it closer (although many other factors play a role of course, but let’s keep it simple).

With the lightbulb the power, for me, lies when you use it really close to the model and the background. The outcome is always something that surprises people and often they ask me “How many strobes did you use next to the lightbulb” 😀

 

So if you have a lightbulb in your house, don’t be afraid to use it in your next shoot, it might surprise you.

 

For much more in-depth techniques, tips etc. get my book “Mastering the Model shoot” or download one of my videos from this website.