I would like you to look at this picture and see if you can tell how it was lit:

Tara Elizabeth (Photo: Michael Willems)

So I’ll give you a few. It is all artificial.

• The main light is a strobe in a softbox on our left. This leads to nice soft light onto the model’s face.
• Then, a flash with a grid, on our right, behind Tara. That gives us the oh-so important rim light.
• Now look at the fireplace. Is that a fire? No – the wood would not light, so it is a speedlight fitted with a red Honl Photo gel. Those gels are incredibly useful!

The mottled light on the wall – that is more involved. Think cookie cutter (it too is artificial), and take one of my advanced lighting courses one day (see www.cameratraining.ca).

Also, keep March 19 open for a special Advanced Lighting course I am putting on in Toronto with David Honl (yes, the David Honl) as my special guest! The location and further details will be announced soon.

In the mean time: start thinking about how to light a scene with multiple lights.