Mastering Full Body Photography Lighting Techniques with John Gress
Portrait photography is an essential skill in any photographer’s toolkit, and lighting plays a critical role in determining the quality of the image. In this article, we explore how John Gress, a seasoned photographer, achieves perfect lighting for full-body portraits, focusing on essential studio techniques demonstrated in his tutorial video.
1. Understanding the Basics of Lighting
In full-body portrait photography, lighting must be even from head to toe to avoid unwanted shadows or hotspots. However, different areas of the body, especially the face and feet, often receive varying amounts of light. To achieve consistent lighting, one must consider:
- Positioning of the light source: Close proximity can cause uneven lighting, where the face may appear overly bright compared to the lower body.
- Type of light modifier: Using larger light modifiers, such as softboxes, helps to soften and even out light spread.
- Inverse Square Law: The principle states that light intensity decreases exponentially with distance. Moving the light further away helps distribute it more evenly across the subject.
2. Setting Up the Lighting Equipment
In the tutorial, Gress begins with a 27-inch octabox to light the subject’s upper body. However, he notices an exposure difference between the subject’s face and feet—about two stops. This imbalance is significant because it draws attention disproportionately to certain parts of the image.
Using a light meter, Gress assesses brightness and exposure levels, setting the exposure at f/8 for optimal detail and sharpness. He then adjusts the light upwards by 1.7 stops to balance the overall light distribution. These precise adjustments ensure that the lighting is consistent from top to bottom.
3. Utilizing the Inverse Square Law
The Inverse Square Law is a key concept in portrait lighting. According to this law, light falls off rapidly the closer it is to the subject. In other words, as the light source moves away, the difference in brightness between different parts of the subject’s body becomes less noticeable.
In the video, Gress demonstrates how moving the light source further from the subject results in more even light distribution. By increasing the distance, the contrast between the brightness on the face and the feet is reduced, leading to smoother, more professional-looking portraits.
4. Choosing the Right Light Modifiers
Light modifiers are an essential part of studio photography. In this tutorial, Gress switches from a 27-inch octabox to a 120-cm softbox, which provides much softer and more even light. Larger softboxes not only spread light more evenly but also create softer shadows, resulting in more flattering images.
Different modifiers, like strip softboxes and reflectors, are introduced to refine the light for full-body portraits. The comparison between a small reflector and a large strip softbox illustrates how larger modifiers soften light across the entire body, while smaller ones create harsh contrasts. For full-body portraits, a larger light source is preferred for consistent light distribution.
5. Practical Adjustments for Better Portraits
Throughout the tutorial, Gress emphasizes the importance of making adjustments during the shoot. For example, when the background appears brighter after moving the light, he employs a technique called feathering. Feathering involves positioning the light slightly in front of the subject rather than directly at them, reducing background brightness and enhancing facial features.
Another practical tip Gress shares is to experiment with strip softboxes, which create beautiful edge highlights along the subject’s sides while still providing even illumination from head to toe.
6. Improving Through Practice
Mastering portrait photography, particularly lighting techniques, takes time and practice. Gress encourages photographers to experiment with different lighting setups and modifiers to understand how each tool affects the final image. Pushing the boundaries of creativity and refining technical skills are key steps toward becoming a more skilled photographer.
Conclusion
As Gress advises, practice, experimentation, and a dedication to mastering lighting techniques are essential to capturing stunning full-body portraits that showcase both the subject’s personality and their best qualities.
You may also like: Lighting Handbook Tutorial - Breaking down a three light setup to show off the model's physique
About John Gress:
For over 20 years Chicago photographer & director John Gress has created stunning photography and videos for some of America’s largest companies and international media outlets. His work has included national lifestyle advertising, portraits and videos for the beauty industry and action photography of professional athletes. Professional Photographer Magazine called Gress “one of the nation’s foremost experts on lighting.” Let's Get Connected: www.johngress.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | To learn more about my online learning platform please visit johngress.com/academy
Image and video via John Gress | Lighting Handbook: johngress.com/lightinghandbooks
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