Sometimes a project doesn’t have much room in its budget and you find yourself working with the bare essentials in a professional photo studio, with little to no idea of how to make it work. Don’t lose hope though because those small budget projects can be just as creative with a little imagination!
A strobe light for instance is not only affordable but it can also create hundreds of looks. So rather than scroll through page after page of people’s ideas and tips, why don’t you find out what the best three are right now?
The Softbox Position
If you are a fan of Benoit Linard’s use of lighting then you might be pleasantly pleased to hear that his simple yet strikingly soft lighting look can be created with relative ease. This isn’t the only plus point though as all you need to create the look is a bare strobe light positioned far right of the camera and a softbox positioned far left. The look is easy to recreate by having your model stand close to the softbox.
The Suntan Position
The suntan position is a fantastic strobe light setup that can create stunning portraits. It creates powerful up-close shots by its use of continuous light which is reflected onto the subject.
The look is created by having the subject surrounded by three reflectors in the suntan positions. The suntan positions are to both sides and one right at front. The bare strobe light needs to be positioned to either side of the reflectors. This particular positioning of the reflectors creates shots that illuminate the eyes and features of the subject.
The Blind Position
Sometimes it can be hard to create a great lighting look when you are working in a small space. However that doesn’t mean that it can’t be done. If you are shooting on location then there will be a whole range of objects you could use to manipulate the light. If you are working in a professional studio then you will have props.
One of the best props to create a stunning image is a blind. Placing your strobe light behind a partially open blind and cutting out all other lights will create a striking visual look.
These are just three of hundreds of ideas out there that can help you turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. A strobe light might not seem like much but once you have fully unlocked your creative demon then you will realize in some situations it’s actually all that you need.
Often the best creative works start out as simple ideas and once those ideas flourish so do the finished products. Letting your imagination get the better of you is how great ideas are born and that’s why, with just a strobe light you can create something magnificent. It doesn’t matter whether you chose a professional photo studio or a filming location; your strobe light really could become your best friend.