How to Use Lighting Inside a Photography Studio

All photography is about light and controlling light. Light, whether natural or artificial, is what determines how the subjects of the photographs will be seen, therefore in order to take perfect pictures, the photographer will need to be able to control the light in their environment.

• Understand that indoor lighting is considerably different from natural, outdoor lighting, and that knowing how to use one does not necessarily mean knowing how to use the other.


• Avoid using the on-camera flash (cold lights) when taking studio photographs. Because the flash is in line with the lens of the camera, it creates a flat glare. Use three- or four-point lighting instead.


• Set up a three- or four-point lighting system (warm lights) for portrait photography. Lighting is the only way to give viewers of the photograph accurate information about the subject. You want them to get an accurate visual idea of the person being photographed. The best way to provide this is with a backlight, which is a light used to illuminate the background and enable to the subject to stand out from the shadows. The other lights typically used in studio photography are the main light, which will be in front of and slightly to one side of the subject, and another light opposite the main light that will eliminate any shadows caused by it. A fourth light is optional and can be used according to the photographer’s own preference.


• Use reflectors to create diffused or soft light. These can be homemade at little expense with such widely available items as tinfoil.


• Arrange the lights prior to the session with the subject as this will save time when actually shooting. Use a mannequin or a stand-in to take their place.