If you think you need an elaborate, professional lighting setup to take eye-catching portraits, you're wrong.
In fact, you don't even need a flashgun or strobe. You can create dynamic, beautiful portrait lighting with little more than a table lamp.
If you aren't quite convinced, have a look at the video above by Irene Rudnyk.
In it, you'll see Irene work with this normal, everyday light source to get stunning portrait results.
For more insights and lighting tips, read on!
Work the Angles (of the Lighting and Your Shooting Position)
The key to getting the most out of incandescent lighting from a table lamp is to continually adjust the angle of light until you find that magic spot where you get the lighting just right.
As you can see in the screenshot above, doing this requires a helping hand - someone to maneuver the table lamp to direct its light as you maneuver yourself around the model to find a pleasing angle of view from the shot.
Just as with any other light source, when you use a table lamp, its directionality plays an important role in the success of the image.
As shown above, having the light aimed at the model from the side will help create some interesting highlights and shadows for a more dynamic photo.
In this screenshot, notice how Irene has added a second table lamp, this time behind the model.
Laying on its side, the light is directed by the lampshade toward the back of the model, which serves the purpose of illuminating her hair.
Combined with the first lamp illuminating the scene from the model's left (and the ambient light from the window on the right), you get a rather complex lighting scene that provides tons of visual interest.
As you can see in the final shot, working the lighting and shooting angles resulted in a very good photo.
You'd have never guessed it was primarily lit with two table lamps, would you?!
Learn More:
The Background Matters
As Irene noted in the video, and as you can see in the sample images she shows throughout, the background of the image is vitally important, no matter the light source you use.
Think of the background as the stage upon which you create the shot, not unlike the set in the background of a play.
It needs to be pleasing to the eye, but not compete with the subject, either.
It needs to be well designed, but without being too flashy.
When looking for a portrait background, you need to consider not just how it looks and the vibe it will provide your portraits, but you also need to consider how its constructed.
The backdrops pictured above and below by Click Props are crafted of 550gsm vinyl.
If you don't know what that means, it simply means that they're tough as nails and will stand up to years and years of use.
And since they're constructed of vinyl, they're easy to clean as well. Just wipe them down, let them dry, and you're good to go.
Don't think that backgrounds are prohibitively expensive, either.
Click Props makes backdrops affordable without sacrificing on quality of materials, construction, or design.
That means you can add a gorgeous background to your photography kit without breaking the bank. And with hundreds of fresh, modern designs, you have your pick of backdrops that will help you create better portraits.
Learn More:
Mix and Match Light
As you work to find the magic combination of lighting from a simple table lamp, don't discount the notion of mixing and matching light.
Adding natural light to the mix can brighten up the image and allow you to use your table lamp as fill light.
In the screenshot above, you can see how the shot is being set up. The natural light from the window backlights the scene, while the lamp is used such that its light illuminates the model's face.
A second lamp in the background provides ambient light to warm up the shot and provide a little more light on the model's face and upper body.
Again, as you can see, simply working with the positioning of the table lamps and combining their light with natural light has resulted in a compelling photo.
Whether you use a lamp as the primary light source or as a secondary light source, it gives off more than enough light for you to work with, particularly if you use a lens that has a large aperture to grab all that light.
It takes some practice (and a good background), but with time, you can master the art of using table lamps to get beautiful, pleasing light in your portraits.