Headshot Lighting Setup

Proper headshot lighting setup can be a confusing concept, even for experienced professionals.  Discussion of light positions, angles, f-stops, shutter speeds can easily make eyes glaze over of all but the most diehard photographers.

Lighting for professional headshots really isn’t difficult to set up once you understand the basic purpose of each light used to enhance the final image. I typically use four lights when I am setting up lighting for studio headshots. It is perhaps my favorite headshot lighting setup since it work equally well for men and women and the results look fantastic.

I have laid out the positions of each light in the headshot lighting setup diagram below for a session with a plain black backdrop.  I have also included a photo slider that shows the effect of each light in the final image. The images in the photo slider have not been retouched or photoshopped to enhance the lighting in the image at all (special thanks to Melissa Keryn for providing Men’s Grooming for the session)! I did this so you see the distinct effect each light has on the subject and how each one builds upon the one before it. Some of them are pronounced while others (especially the Accent Light) are more subtle.

Equipment Used:

Camera: Canon 5D Mark III
Lens: Canon 70-200mm f/2.8
Lights: Elinchrom
Modifiers: Elinchrom

The four lights include:

1. Key Light (#1) – The is the main light source for your subject. I typically like to place this light at a 45 degree angle to the side of the subject and angle it so it is pointing down at a 45-60 degree angle to the subject’s face.  I always use this light to set the exposure for the headshot lighting setup so it’s important to get it right!  The other three lights are adjusted brighter or dimmer based on this one and the effect they have on the subject. I typically use a large octobox for the Key Light since I want a large light source that envelops the subject in light.
2. Fill Light (#2) – You can see in the photo slider that only using this light places dark shadows on the opposite side of the subject’s face. It creates something of a “dark side of the moon effect” on the subject. So, unless that’s the effect I am going for, I use a second light positioned horizontally directly off of the side of the subject to fill in the dark side. I typically use a standard soft box for the Fill Light. You can see in the photo slider that these two lights together provide an excellent headshot – but, we can do better!
3. Accent Light (#3) – Many photographers refer to this light as a hair light or even an edge light. I do not use this to light the subject’s hair as much as I do to provide some accent lighting along the subject’s head and shoulder to help visually separate them from them from the background. It is subtle, but you can really see the difference when you study the difference between the “Two Light” and “Three Light” images in the photo slider. I typically use a standard soft box for the Accent Light.
4. Background Light (#4) – Depending on the location and background, I do not always use a background light. But, in the case of professional studio headshots, I almost always use something to brighten it a bit. That is almost universally true when I am using a dark background. In the example show here, I used a slight with a snoot installed to provide a small, soft circle of light on the background positioned directly behind the subject’s head, neck and shoulders. This really allows the subject to stand out and provides a soft glow around them.

There you have it – a headshot lighting setup utilizing four lights! If you have found this article helpful, please share it online! I would love to hear from you as well. Please feel free to contact me online or leave a comment below.

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