Tutorial: The perfect hard light set up for studio portraits
One of my favourite studio lighting set ups is also the simplest one. I’m often asked how I got the shot and spurred on by the fact that I enjoying taking behind the scenes (BTS) snaps I thought I’d combine them to describe the process here. I’ll walk you through the equipment I use, the settings and most importantly how to place the light.
What is hard light?
As the title suggests, this tutorial is about hard light, a bright and direct form of lighting with signature shadows that help define facial features when used for portraits. It is a very unforgiving and honest light that will exactly portray your subject. Used well it can be very flattering, showing skin detail and bringing out cheek bones. It’s not quite beauty lighting, but its very close as you will see from some of the examples below.
We are all used to seeing it in our daily lives when the afternoon sun starts to create those long shadows. This example with Marisa lying in the light wells framed by the studio windows is a perfect example of natural hard light.
Whilst the principles of direct light and the associated shadows are the same, regardless of the light source, this tutorial will focus on using flash to create the same effect.
I first used this set up when working as an assistant back in the 90’s. It was a common way to do castings, a simple white wall and bare head positioned above the model would provide a consistent way to showcase the talent. Castings are quick and you wouldn’t have time for a make up artist, so hard light would fill in the gaps. But not everyone likes it, as I said, it’s very honest and will bring out wrinkles and other skin defects. It all comes down to taste, personally I love it, I like genuine pictures of people that show them for who they are and I avoid heavily retouched images.
Xenia, being awesome in my studio. June 2023.
Getting started
For this set up you will need one flash head, a stand, a white wall or backdrop and your chosen camera and lens. If you can, use a prime telephoto or 50mm for slightly sharper results. Don’t forget the most important part is someone awesome to photograph. If you scroll to the bottom of this tutorial you can see the equipment and settings I use.
The image above of Xenia is a great place to start with this set up. Look at the the shadow under her chin and behind her head. That tiny shadow under her nose as well. These are all signs of how the light was positioned. As you read this tutorial, come back to this image as a reference point and see how this setup can be used in different ways.
Positioning
Placing the light is key. Position the light above your subject and point the head down at a slight angle. This creates natural shadows under the chin and cheek bones and will produce a catch light in the eyes. Be careful not to place the light too high as that can add extra shadows under the tops of the eyes.
The objective here is to emulate a lighting setup that we are all familiar with, the sun. I believe this comes down to the human brain liking images that it finds natural. In our daily lives we are used to seeing the light from the sun fall upon others, casting a shadow under the chin in the same way. All we are doing here is exaggerating something that we already find appealing.
Positioning is not limited to the light, you can also position your subject differently to adjust the shadow detail. See how Rhodé’s shadow is visibly stronger where she is leaning against the wall.
Using a stand with wheels allows you to easily make tiny adjustments. If you compare the BTS image to the portrait of Rhodé above you can see the shadow under her chin has changed. Everything else is the same, the settings the background etc, I’m just finessing the position of the light and how it falls on her as I refine the way I want the portrait to look.
Tip: When shooting in the studio with off camera flash (OCF), always use the lowest ISO available, which for my Sony A7iV is 50. This ensures you are only exposing for the light from the flash and not accidentally including ambient light from windows or ceiling lights.
Use the shadows
The main benefit of this hard lighting set up is the strong shadows it produces. I like to include them in my shots and make them part of the image.
As before, move the light around until you find a shadow that appeals to you and makes sense in the context of the look you are going for. In these shots of Anna we wanted a strong and powerful look and so the longer hard shadows made sense.
As you pull the light back from the subject the shadows obviously get longer, but remember that the increased distance is likely to change the exposure.
In this example we’re playing with the cove to make Candice’s shadow a second point of interest. You can also clearly see the location of the light without the need for a BTS shot. I just moved it to ensure the shadow was able to walk up the wall of the cove. The hot spot from the centre of the light is clear to see and as the ISO is set to 50 the rest of the wall starts to get darker.
Tip: I like using a flash head that has more power than I need. This allows me to keep the power output at the half way mark and increase it or decrease it as I physically move the position of the light. Another benefit of this approach is that using less power means it is faster to recharge for the next frame.
Proximity to the subject
Somewhat contrary to the last section, some of the best results of a hard light set up are achieved when the light is closer to the subject. This creates that dictionary definition of hard light where the shadows are stronger and the cheekbones and eyes really pop - just like the first image of Xenia.
But don’t get too close as you risk creating a hot spot. If you look at this BTS image you can see the light is a little too bright on the left hand side of Rhodé’s face. There are basically three options to solve this, turn down the power or pull the light back a bit, that drop in distance is like dialling down the power a stop. You can also simply adjust the camera settings.
I like to shoot close to wide open on the aperture with a shutter speed of 160th. I could go to 250th but In this case I just moved the light back a bit until the hot spot had gone. I shoot tethered and like to have the histogram open to check the images don’t risk being overexposed.
The images above were all taken at the same time, the first one where Rhodé has her arms crossed was taken just after the BTS image above and after I had pulled the light back to reduce that hot spot. I then added the table and in doing so lowered the light and moved it camera left to change up the mood. These portraits of Rhodé and the one at the top of Xenia are also an example of how you can use this set up for beauty lighting. I’m sure I’ll press some buttons saying that, but remember this is all subjective. My point is that it’s easy to imagine Rhodé is promoting a make up product or perhaps some jewellery where you might expect to see beauty lighting used.
Adding fill
A downside of a big, bright light source like this is that it can bounce off the walls and reduce definition or detail in the subject. You can bring back the detail in many ways. I’m obviously using two black poly boards here, but V Flats or black reflectors and even flags would do the same job.
I wanted a raw and edgy look with contrasty clothes plus dark make up and wet hair. In this instance, the poly boards help to retain the definition in the arms and face, but also add to the look in themselves. I like to think this isn’t just a BTS, but a shot in of itself.
I very much enjoy including the studio paraphernalia in my shots. Some people will clone out a stray light stand, but I pull back and try and get more of the stand and surrounding kit.
Look at the shading on Candice’s arm and face in the images below. The dark boards are helping to retain these whilst we still retain that hard, direct light on her head.
The kit
The images in this post were all taken with either a Godox AD600 Pro (pictured) or a Godox AD400 Pro. In both cases I use them with the optional power supply, which saves having to buy many batteries. I like these for their sync speed and importantly their recharge rate.
The only difference between the two is the power output. I like them for different reasons, they are both very portable but the 400 is easy to pack in a camera bag with the rest of your stuff.
But any light will do here. You just need one that has the right amount of output for the space you are in.
Remember, you can also use the sun or any constant light such as LED’s to achieve the same results. Hard light is a principle and not a gadget.
Diffusing the reflector
The Godox lights come with a small reflector which is actually really nice and I use it a lot for this sort of set up. But I like to add a larger reflector for a wider spread along with a plastic diffuser (pictured). This small addition helps to soften the edges of the hard light slightly which is good for skin etc. If a bare bulb is 100% hard light, think of this as 85% hard light. You still get the same hard shadows and stark contrast, just with a little softness to the facial features.
Arguably I’m losing that specular light that is so sought after with hard light and a silver reflector. But this is my take on the set up and I love how they work together.
Settings: In the studio and with a set up like this I always shoot at 160th with my ISO at 50 and from there work out the aperture. I always shoot with prime lenses and like to use them close to wide open. Somewhere between f2 and f4 is my happy place. So this means I mostly use the power controls of the lights to moderate my exposure, or as I have said you can also move the light back and forth to change the exposure.
Summary
This one light set up is super easy to use and is very versatile as I hope this tutorial has illustrated. You can use any sort of flash head for these, just think about the space you are in and how much output you need. The more power you have, the more options you have for dialling it down, and if that doesn’t work pull the light back a bit. Use a diffuser to soften the edges a little (a fabric sock works just as well). Remember to play with the position of the light whilst trying to keep it above the head height of your subject.
I believe that everyday is a school day. I’m always learning something new even if I have repeated this setup countless times before. Above all, have fun with the process. It’s great to have a nice camera or own the latest lens etc, but my favourite images are always the ones where we had a lot of fun taking them.
Special thanks to the talented: Marisa, Xenia, Rhodé, Anna and Candice who helped make this tutorial.
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