Although it's called hard light, the edges of the shadows are hard. But why would you want shadows with crisp edges for a studio portrait? In this video, photographer Gavin Hoey explains how and why hard light can look amazing in a cinematic style. 

Nothing combines those two features better than the classic Film Noir lighting look. Gavin introduces some hard light into his shot by casting a shadow on his model using a set of Venetian blinds. What Gavin shows in this section is that hard light comes in many different flavors and is quite controllable simply by adjusting the size of the Speedlight with modifiers such as a dome diffuser or snoot. 

After this, Gavin reveals another characteristic of hard light. Hard light may be just what you need when you want those really crisp images. 

Finally, Gavin takes it to the next level, adding cinematic styling to the scene, complete with signature smoke