Although it’s called hard light, the edges of the shadows are hard. But why would you want shadows with crisp edges for a studio portrait?
In this video, photographer Gavin Hoey explains how and why hard light can look amazing in a cinematic style. Nothing combines those two features better than the classic Film Noir lighting look.
Gavin starts by casting a shadow on his model using a set of Venetian blinds. He shows that hard light comes in different looks, which can be controlled simply by adapting the size of the Speedlight using modifiers such as a dome diffuser or a snoot.
Next, Gavin shows another property of hard light. Hard light might be just the ticket if you want the ultimate sharp-looking images. Finally, Gavin takes the process further by introducing cinematic styling and his trademark smoke into the scene.
Timestamps and Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:43 Why use a speedlight for hard light?
2:01 Create sharper shadows with a Speedlight
2:49 Camera settings for the film noir photo session
3:30 Photo Session with a speedlight and snoot
4:25 Using hard light to improve sharpness and texture
5:50 Adding a separation/background flash
6:18 Photo session textured black fabric curtains
7:02 Lighting a film noir cinematic set
8:19 Film Noir photo session with studio smoke
9:12 Conclusions and Subscribe
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✘ GEAR USED:
Flashpoint Zoom Li-on X PRO Speedlight
Flashpoint Zoom Li-on III R2 TTL Speedlight
Sony Alpha a7RV
Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II Lens
Flashpoint Round Head Flash Accessory Kit
SmokeNINJA Smoke Machine
Flashpoint 10’ C-Stand and Grip Arm
Glow S2 Round Flash S-type Bowens Mount Bracket
Flashpoint R2 Nano Touchscreen TTL Wireless Flash Trigger
Tether Tools TetherGuard LeverLock Plate and TetherPro 15′ USB-C
#cinematicphotography #hardlight #offcameraflash
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Model: Chloe Kerley
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THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!
Comments
47 responses to “Cinematic Hard Light Portraits (with speedlights) | Take and Make Great Photography with Gavin Hoey”
Anyone make a portable smoke machine for a reasonable price?
Gavin.. Your videos are the best… I learn more every day… thanks for your talent… you are a very good teacher.
I like hard light a lot but… I'd like to see your postprocessing later. Because I think I have some problems there…
Great video and great tips! Thanks a lot Gavin!
It's incredible how gavin is able to create very original photos with a little set of accessories
Why are you shooting with these settings? ISO 200 F8 1/250?
You guys are ameizing❤😊
Im Indian but yours concept is very good im using your concept India😅
Gran maestro con explicaciones técnicas de manera clara y didáctica.
Saludos desde Mexico City.
Is a hard light directional. And if it got harder would it be polarized and yet still harder lights get synchronized?
no longer shooting with Olympus/OM System, Gavin?
Love it from Germany🎉
How does the camera picture look so dark even though the lights are on inside? (not the speed light)
gavin – you're the man. i'm a photographic dilettante with little knowledge on how to go about producing images on this scale.thanks.you're presenting style is excellent.
I am VERY new and still trying to find my niche. I think i have watched 90% of your videos for inspiration!! Wish me luck, a week from today, I've rented a space for 48 hours of photography and my entire family and friends are coming to be my "models" (maybe not ideal to have non professional models, but its what i have!) Every one of the 4 scenes i have set up are variations of things I've seen on your videos! Thank you so much for your hard work!!
I always look forward to your videos Gavin. I also have loved film noir movies… so I will give it a go.
Awesome session. Rocked it. So many points of lighting techniques that never made sense. The way this session is done allowed me to have "ah ha" moments. Gaven you are the man. Chloe you are the "Cats Meow" . Chloe's expressions are spot on for this type of imagery. Chloe's wardrobe is perfect and classy. These images would be excellent movie posters. We could call the movie "Femme Fatal". The window blind shots would be covers for pulp fiction detective books.
The way these shots are composed generates the feelings of power, confidence and control.
Well done by the entire team.
Great tutorial! THX
Amazing video Gavin.
Love this! Noir – one of my favorites!! Smoke Ninja yeah. Thank you!!
Fit an extractor fan! My 20' x 10' studio has an a/c unit at one end and an extractor at the other, using both clears smoke PDQ.
Should have put an orange gel on the light through the blinds, for a street light effect – given the angle.
Enjoy watching the different ideas and techniques, I just need to find the time to try some!
Brilliant video. Fun, informative and practical. Cheers Jono 😊🏴📸
Fantastic!!! Thank you Gavin, and Chloe looks great
Yes chloe la a very beautiful model dose she have an Instagram account ❤❤
Very inspiring as usual. Love the last images with the smoke ❤
love the video
Gavin doesn't run out of ideas and solutions. Bdw love that transparent plastic sheet photo shoot. Great going, love you always.
Warm Regards from North East India.
Hi Gavin, nice as always!! but maybe its useful in these setting to give rough an idea of the distance the flash source has to object in the picture
Nice one Gavin
I really love this! Great video, as always! Hoping to put it to the test myself someday!
Love this! Thank you and Chloe 🎉
did you switch to sony gavin?
Love your noir stutorials! Thanks Gavin!
Love your film noir Gavin. Awesome work 👍😊
Does anyone else like the video before watching? Gavin is a great teacher
I always learn something from Gavin. I try to watch his video when I can since it has great information. Thanks.
Absolutely amazing video! I cannot wait to try that in my studio… You inspire me!
dude…. while your videos are absolutely GREAT (presentation, subject matter, execution, and the like) im not sure anyone could take a bad picture of @chloekmodel!
fabulous shoot…
Can you create something with color smoke
This is sooo cool, im going to try this trick this weekend. I love your videos and showing different effects
Excellent video on lights, thanks from Brisbane
Thanks for sharing this video Gav love your work Mark from Australia
Gavin, you always inspire me!! Thank you so much for your contents!
Light isn’t hard or soft it is either collimated (parallel rays) with sharp-edge shadows or diffuse with more gradual shadow-highlight gradients. The perception of light being “hard” or “soft” is also a reaction to the tone of the shadows relative to how they are normally seen by eye.
I learned to use direct flash back in the early 1970s apprenticing and assisting Monte Zucker who introduced off camera electronic flash use to wedding coverage back in the late 1960s when wedding photographers first switched to color prints and struggled, as we do now with digital sensors, to record detail in the shadows when that big white dress was correctly exposed. The solution was the one studio photographers had used since the invention of film and prints: A second source on the camera axis as FILL.
When I wedding receptions with Monte we used direct flash but always had FILL on a bracket above the lens and heads of the subjects. The KEY light was placed on a modified medical IV pole we rolled around like a dance partner. By controlling the distance of the KEY light relative to the to the FILL on the camera we could made the lighting appear “soft” or “hard” with lighting ratio. Putting key and fill at the same distance to a face at the same power creates very light shadows making the lighting appear “soft”. For darker shadows and a more dramatic under filled shadows we would just reach up and partially cover the the fill flash with splayed fingers 🖐️
Learning who to use Fill was one of the most valuable skills I learned from Monte and when setting lights the first one set and test for exposure with a draped black towel and coverage to spot potentially unfilled areas in the lighting pattern is the FILL and avoiding unfilled (except with noise) voids is why centering it on axis over the camera or even better bouncing it off a wall or scrim behind the camera (no specular reflections that way) is the best strategy for Fill.
If one starts in a large and completely dark studio space Fill allows precise control of the look of the lighting. With digital the best strategy is to over-fill during captured to record signal above the noise level then pull down the shadows “globally” with LEVELS or CURVES and “selectively” by burning in less important scene content.
love the video and images.. great concept. where is that particular snoot found? cant seem to find it in the description and or on the site. I would have the typical rectangular speed light head. thanks Gavin..keep up the fantastic videos