From the course: Retouching and Color Correcting Photography Portraits

How lighting affects skin

From the course: Retouching and Color Correcting Photography Portraits

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How lighting affects skin

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- [Instructor] Lighting is one of the most important decisions a portrait photographer makes. Think about the message of the light. If it's contrasty with lots of shadows, it projects a serious mood. If the light is even, it gives a happier tone. Lighting affects form and depth. The light is high and to the right in this photo. This triangle of light shows that it's a Rembrandt light scheme. Look at the transfer zone. The falloff from highlight to shadow is sharp. That means it's hard light. Adding a diffuser gives a gentler transition and is flattering for most skin. With the light right above the camera, the shadows fall behind the face. The lighting is flat, and the transition zone is minimal. We've lost the form of the face. Even adding a diffuser doesn't bring back the feeling of depth. By controlling highlights and shadows, you control the appearance of wrinkles and texture, and this can save you lots of time in post-production. In the next movie, I'll show you how to work more with this theory. And if you want to learn more about portrait lighting, check out my course Lighting for Portraits.

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