What this setup creates
A video tutorial demonstrating a dramatic portrait lighting setup using a single hard light bounced off a reflective surface to create a distinct rectangular highlight on the model's face and sharp shadows.
Light placement
The main light source is camera right and slightly behind the subject. The key light on the model's face comes from bouncing this light off a mirrored reflector held by an assistant. The main light also acts as an edge light for the hair and upper body.
How to build it
A light with a standard reflector is positioned camera right and slightly behind the subject. The key light on the model's face is created by bouncing this light off a mirrored reflector ("shimmer") held by an assistant, creating a narrow, hard rectangular light pattern across the face. The main light source also acts as a back/edge light for the model's hair and upper body. The background is a black seamless paper.
- Lighting style
- Hard light with a high-key foreground and a dark background, creating a high-contrast image. The key light creates a rectangular pattern on the subject's face from a bounced source.
- Key light
- Side light
- Light quality
- Hard light, High contrast, Semi-hard
- Shadows
- Deep shadows, Dramatic shadows, Moody
- Background
- Pure black, Seamless backdrop
- Colour
- Warm tones
- Visual mood
- Dramatic, Fashion-forward, Commercial clean
Camera settings
From the tutorial- Aperture
- f/9
- Shutter speed
- 1/160s
- ISO
- 100
- Focal length
- 24-105mm
- White balance
- Warm (inferred)
Camera settings extracted from the lighting diagram. White balance inferred from the warm tones in the final image.
