Shoot: Create Soft Light with Umbrella
Lesson 16 from: Environmental Portrait PhotographyDan Brouillette
Shoot: Create Soft Light with Umbrella
Lesson 16 from: Environmental Portrait PhotographyDan Brouillette
Lesson Info
16. Shoot: Create Soft Light with Umbrella
Lessons
Class Introduction
06:15 2Introduction to The Environmental Portrait
06:51 3Environmental Portrait Purpose
13:06 4Personal Work
18:36 5Find Your Process
20:20 6Tethering
18:35 7Purpose For Action Editorial
05:19 8Prepare for Shoot
06:10Action Editorial Process
11:27 10Set Up Action Editorial Shoot
12:43 11Shoot: Action Editorial With Athlete
29:32 12Studio Portrait Shoot Overview
05:58 13Shoot: Athletic Studio Portrait
15:39 14Shoot: Manipulate Light to Mimic The Sun
12:11 15Shoot: Change Background Color With Light
18:09 16Shoot: Create Soft Light with Umbrella
07:31 17Shoot: Create Intentional Shadows
04:28 18Shoot: Action Shots In Studio
04:00 19Review Images in Capture One
14:54 20Raw Processing
05:24 21File Handling
05:19 22Retouching & Color Overview
05:45 23Retouch Images in Capture One
11:37 24Retouch Images in Photoshop
07:00 25Retouch Images With Presets
27:40 26Advertising Vs. Editorial
04:49 27Indoor Location Shoot
13:12 28Indoor Location Shoot Process
11:19 29Get to Know Your Subject
13:12 30Test & Frame Your Shot
10:44 31Create Natural Light
24:33 32Natural Light & Alternate Light
11:05 33How to Shoot Indoor Location Portrait
11:53 34Indoor Shoot Results
19:00 35Outdoor Location Shoot Goals
16:51 36Indoor/Outdoor Light Setup
17:27 37Studio Light On Location
09:56 38Create Location Portrait
11:41 39Outdoor Shoot Results
13:26 40Post Processing Overview
08:42 41Choose Selects & Sort Images From Indoor Shoot
14:11 42Edit Raw Images from Indoor Shoot
10:47 43Finish Images in Photoshop & Alien Skin
17:06 44Portfolio Management
28:13 45Importance of Website
17:55 46Marketing 101
18:51 47What About Reps?
05:54 48Bring it All Together
10:52Lesson Info
Shoot: Create Soft Light with Umbrella
We're gonna go into one more shot here and then we're gonna kinda go through some of the images so what I want to do next is one more light setup that's a little less harsh and a little more soft so we'll have run the full range of lighting options as far as harsh light to soft light. So we're gonna use the soft lighter umbrella next and we're gonna put it pretty close just to do something different and to try it. I don't know why I took that all the way off of there. To do this. All right, we'll set this guy aside and we're gonna use the 46 inch soft lighter which is this one with a diffusion sock so this light's gonna be a lot softer and it's just gonna have a little different look. And, again, when I'm going into the shoot, this is not what I had in mind but because we have time, it's like, why not? You can always see, maybe it'll be a pleasant surprise. And we're gonna keep that background fairly dark 'cause I really want him to pop off of the background. So in order to put this th...
ing together, I am not seven feet tall, I need to lower it a little bit and these umbrellas are pretty slick. For those who haven't used 'em, it opens just like an umbrella because it is an umbrella. The light bounces into the umbrella and then reflects backwards and it becomes extra soft because you have this diffusion sock on there that just straps around your light. It's elastic, it literally feels like a sock. It can fit around pro photo lights, it can fit around an alien bee if you stretch it. It can fit around most lights that aren't too huge and it's pretty easy to use and if you break it, the good news is they're only like 80 dollars so it's not the end of the world and mine's old. I've had this thing for years and it's one of the ones that has a metal interior as far as the ribs of the umbrella go. The new ones are plastic, similar to the pro photo so they're a lot more flexible and they don't bend or when they bend, they don't stay bent, is what I should say. Okay now we have our umbrella set up so we're gonna bring that in here and I like shooting with these tilted pretty far downward, not quite this far, so the fall off goes low. We're gonna switch this battery out real quick with one of the lights we're not using. (camera equipment clicking) All right we're back to full speed and we're just gonna do one light to start and, again, it's gonna be pretty soft. I'm gonna keep the light fairly close to Brock. We're gonna feather in front so it doesn't hit the background. When I'm using these umbrellas from a side position like this, I usually start with the rear of the umbrella even with someone's ear and then let the rest of the light fall on front. If I started it right here, for one, a lot of this light's going nowhere. It's now less soft because we're only working with a light source that's this large and I don't want to light the background so I generally tend to start it up front and feather it forward, same thing with tilting it down. This is gonna have a completely different look and it's gonna be a lot softer light than what we were dealing with before. I'm gonna switch the lenses back. All right we should be good to go and then we're gonna meter 'cause we're still gonna shoot at F8. And our fill light's on but it's so far back, it's not doing anything. This light, however, we don't want that guy on. Perfect. So we're metering. We're at F11. We need to come down a whole stop. We're at F8, we're good. And if you don't know all the stops, like if you don't, a lot of people, I just memorize it because of lighting all the time but don't feel like you have to get it exact. If you don't know how many clicks it is, it's no big deal, just do it 'til the meter says it's right. I just have been doing this for a long time so I know but if you don't, that's what the meter's for, it's to tell you so I'm gonna actually have you start by turning this way completely and, again, this is gonna be really soft light. Hold that ball down, I'm gonna get a closer up image. So this is gonna be a softer lit portrait, the background's gonna be pretty dark but you're gonna see, there's not gonna be those specular highlights that there were before. Chin down. (camera shutter clicks) And you can see, just a totally different quality of light. It's up to you what you prefer. I am gonna throw a little bit of this kicker in there and this is gonna add a little bit of edge that we're missing 'cause I feel like with this current outfit, with Brock being a basketball player and all that, we need a little bit of edge. So I'm actually gonna move this so it might catch his face just a little bit. You're good right there. And it's gonna be pretty bright, which I'm fine with. So I'm gonna stay nice and close. And you'll see, there we go. So it's just a different quality of light than the other one and you can see what I mean when I said the light would hit his nose, that's annoying to me and some people might like it, I don't, so I need to move this back. All right, there are times when I wanna do that, maybe we'll do it on purpose here in a second. All right one more of those just so you guys can see. I'm gonna have you turn this way so body away from the light, shoulders more this way, feet too just so you're comfortable. Turn your whole body this way like this and now head straight at me. Nose this way more. Right there. Chin down a little bit. Perfect. (camera shutter clicks) So I don't mind that quite so much. Head this way even more. Don't even look at me. Move back so we get the ball. (camera shutter clicks) Yeah, that's pretty sweet so I'm gonna do one more, I like the background going dark like that. Eyes a little more forward. The reason why I did that, keep looking where you were. I don't know if you can see but his eyes, like his retinas are all the way to the edge of his eyes, I don't want them to be strained off this way so with that, I'm saying, yeah, look right there so now it looks like they're a little more in the center of his eye. And that's just a picky thing, you know, if you're moving and people are doing a lot of stuff, I wouldn't be too worried about that. I am gonna have you take a tiny step backwards and then turn your head more into that light and now look forward a little bit, right there, perfect. Nose that way even more, right there, one, two, three. (camera shutter clicks) Yeah, that's pretty good.
Ratings and Reviews
Julie V
I had the chance to sit in the audience for this class and absolutely loved it. Watching Dan create amazing images from start to finish in front of us was so inspiring. I've learned so much from this class. It actually gave me the confidence to start playing with lights in my studio. It was really useful to see how he sets his lights and how he can easily mix ambient light with artificial. I also love how he focuses on getting the image right in the camera to only do light edits after. I recommend this class to anyone wanting to learn more about lighting, shooting tethered and editing efficiently!
a Creativelive Student
I love this guy! I so appreciate his honesty while he is explaining his thought process, admitting that his “shoulda/coulda/woulda’s” - which I experience ALL the time. I am now going to dust off my light meter and start using it on location as I’m convinced that it works now that I’ve seen Dan’s class. I enjoyed the detailed way he sets up each light individually, checking to make sure it adds the amount and quality of light he wants. Definitely recommend this class - especially for those people who have experience using studio lights and want to see how they can be used to get specific results. Dan’s clear, simple explanations, his unabashed humility, and his sense of humor made this a truly enjoyable way to spend my time learning his methods.
a Creativelive Student
Dan is an excellent instructor! He's completely transparent with his thought processes, from technical to creative. He doesn't waste time horsing around or getting off topic, but is structured and sticks to his outline. Every minute watched is on topic, and is understandable. He's sincere and likable. The course is great for anyone interested in this genre!
Student Work
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