Tyler held another workshop today at our studio which is also the home of RAW Photographic Studio. Today’s workshop focused on how to light backdrops. We had several photographers in attendance from beginner and hobbyist to professional. He set up three different sets to practice different techniques in lighting backgrounds, primarily for portrait use.
Denver Photographer Workshops: Why a session on Backdrop Lighting?
Backdrops are used to simplify a scene. An environmental scene includes everything normally present: this can include clutter and items that distract from the subject, story or mood of the scene. But there is also a risk of simplifying too much with a backdrop.
Backdrops are one tool and like all photographic and artistic tools, the goal is to add interest and pull focus toward our subjects. Lighting is the solution.
Too often we see backdrops that are blasted with too much light, failing to give the light in the scene a specific role. Three lighting techniques demonstrated in today’s worksop: even lighting, gradient lighting, and spot lighting. Each method of lighting a backdrop has a different mood and feel to it and aligns to genres differently.
Even lighting keeps the look classic and simple: this is a great look for corporate and commercial headshots. This lighting also works well for personal branding, and beauty shots.
Gradient lighting introduces more drama on to the backdrop. It also creates two natural frames: one is a frame of shadow, the other a frame of light. Positioning the subject in either frame creates contrast. The feature image at the top of this post demonstrates this technique. We have created a contrasting frame: the subject is framed against the shadow side of the backdrop and the way the subject is lit balances the lit side of the backdrop. This is pleasing to the eye and keeps the eye in the frame moving between the light side of the backdrop and the lightness of the subject. This technique works well for images used on websites/advertising since it leaves space for text.
Backdrop spot lighting increases drama further. This works well for moody portraits or fitness images.
(all images are straight out of camera)
Denver Photographer Workshops: Behind the Scenes
We loved working with a motivated group today who were excited to add new tools to their toolbox. We had three models and three separate sets where everyone recreated the three different ways to light backdrops.
We enjoy teaching these workshops, because it is rewarding to pass along creative keys to others with like interests. We break complex topics down to their component parts so each are digestible and then build than back up into a cohesive whole. Tyler had two separate conversations with students today who were overwhelmed with why their images were not coming out the way they wanted. This is common. We get in the field – or god forbid, in front of a client – and there are so many moving parts, we cannot think straight. Reminding artists how to take a step back and look at each part individually, is empowering and confidence inspiring. By the end of the class, we had an army of empowered and confident artists.
Denver Photographer Workshops: Joining a Community
The knowledge and education is only half of the benefit. Today we had a conversation with someone new to the studio who was looking for a group of fellow learners to grow his own skillset. He had felt lost about finding co-conspirators and today was introduced to six other photographers and three models, each of whom were eager to learn from their collective errors and successes.
Watching a group of good people come together, laugh, learn, and grow is so rewarding for us.
Future classes are announced through our RAW Masterclass Meetup Page.