Edgy three light gritty look
In the last six or seven years, there has been an explosion in the photographic world unlike anything in the history of photography. It almost seems impossible to keep up. Without question it is driven by the introduction to digital capture, the use of Photoshop and the ability to pass information around the world instantly via the World Wide Web.
In keeping up with the current trends, and capitalizing on the ever-changing tools, I began looking at ways to take my vision as an artist to the next level. A few years ago I began experimenting and pushing my lighting techniques. This was a departure for me because for nearly twenty years I approached most of my portraits with the same cross light Rembrandt look.
Another of the Edgy Three Light Set-Up of model Timothy.
Examples of the edgy three light setup.
Three Light Approach
I call this approach my ‘Edgy Three Light Gritty Look’. If someone has a better name please let me know. I won’t for one second claim to be it’s originator, but as with most things, we build on the past as we forge the future. As with all my lighting approaches, my goals is to fulfill my vision as an artist and have such control over a my lighting that I can duplicate it at will. This of course takes practice, but more importantly you have to train you eye to know what to look for.
One reason I love this lighting approach, is this look works great with many different types of subjects. You can see I have used it extensively with many of my sports subject as well as most of my musicians. One of the side benefits is this approach allows you to drop the subject in a HDR background without having to worry about matching the direction of the light. With a one light cross effect it is extremely critical matching the directions of the sun or the natural light.
Video on Lighting: Take the mystery out of lighting
In my video on lighting I show exactly how I get this edgy gritty lighting look and learn it in a fraction of the time it took me to fine tune this technique. I show how to get the value of light hitting the subject exactly the way you want it without the use of a flash meter. One of the things you will hear me say over and over, is a technical instrument can never make a creative decision, that is reserved for the human mind. Lighting in the end is not a technical process, it is an intuitive, emotional, feeling approach. Only you as an artist can truly determine what fulfills your vision. No pun intended, but once you get this, it truly is like a light going off.
