Indoor photography requires an understanding of light cancellation.
Causing dark and under-exposed photos, insufficient lighting will ruin a shot and signify the work of an amateur photographer. When setting up for portrait or product work, professional photographers create good lighting for indoor photography by arranging lighting so the beams cast by one light cancel out the shadows produced by the others. By learning to employ standard lighting techniques, you will easily achieve professional results -- and without the need of a light meter.
Instructions
1. Set a main light at a 35-degree angle above the subject and a 45-degree angle off to either side of the subject. As a rule of thumb, place the main, or "key," light four feet from the subject.
2. Place a fill light directly in front the subject. Adjust the pole of a fill light so the bulb is even with the subject's eyes for portraiture or even with the top of the subject for product work.
3. Set a backlight behind the subject. For portraits, set the height of the backlight according to the color of the subject's hair. Place the backlight directly above a subject with black hair, at a 45-degree angle for brown hair and directly behind a subject with blond hair. For product work, always set the backlight above the subject.
4. Set the distance ratio for the fill and backlight to the main light at a 3:1 ratio. For example, with the key light four feet from the subject, the fill and backlight must be 12 feet from the subject.
