Fresnel Portrait Lighting: 3 B&W Setups for Stunning Hard Light Photography

[@stephenguyphotography]

Thank you, John, for your well-planned videos and instruction. They are the reason I am attending one of your upcoming in-person workshops and I have learned so much already!📸

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Stephen! I look forward to meeting you!

[@JohnGress]

Congratulations Stephen! You won the bag. I will message you.

[@JohnGress]

I used google to give me a random number and i opened up the comments for this video, counted down and landed on you!

[@uwetrenkner9716]

What I like about this video is that you make the process visible. You do not have a general master plan and tell people what they should do to create a great image. You see the image, see what's not ideal, and adapt. Every great photographer is doing this. But (nearly) none of the other photographers here on YT make this process visible. Thanks a lot. This is way more helpful than the next "do ABC and the image will be great" video. And yes, Fresnel lenses are a great tool to get a certain mood in the image. Love those.

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much! I’ll have to keep that in mind going forward. That might be the special sauce I’ve been missing lately.

[@ramborums]

I have been going through hundreds of videos through the years but looks like I struck in this channel. I have literally been watching the whole day nonstop!! Thank you so much!

[@JohnGress]

Wow, thank you!

[@sosalmor]

I usually have never comment on KZbin videos but I just wanted to say that I love how thorough your walk throughs are becoming. Thanks for the time you put into these.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Saul! Glad you like them. This new format of me talking on camera to augment me talking on set will probably be my way forward.

[@michaelbrownstudios993]

Super fan from Nigeria. Thank you for taking out the time to educate. I can imagine the amount of work you put into creating these educative contents. I speak for alot of creatives when I say, we are grateful.

[@JohnGress]

My pleasure! Thank you for your support Michael!

[@AdornedAFStudio]

Fresnel is something I have seen and wanted to add to my kit but wasn’t sure where to start. it’s great to see how It really works on set and how I can utilise across photography and filmmaking. Thanks for the actual breakdown of the settings, and the practical results. Very inspired by the film noir look.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful!

[@samuelmarshall7871]

Thank you again John. This will definitely spark more creativity in my photos

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Samuel! That is great to hear!

[@shelbersman]

Thank you for the video and instruction, this is very informative. I appreciate you walking through the build up of using the total lighting setup.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful! This will likely be my new format for shooting videos.

[@NesEscobar]

Great video! There’s so much knowledge and skill on display.Yet the greatest asset, is the teaching style. I’ve learned so much! Including freezing motion with flash. Thank you for sharing such valuable information!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Nestor! That is great to hear!

[@NesEscobar]

Seriously! Thank you! Freezing motion with flash was so elusive to me, your video explained a complex subject with simple to understand terms. I truly appreciate the effort, hard work and time put into the lesson! Keep going strong, you’re an incredible teacher!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! That topic is so hard to explain I think it took me 4 tries to get it right.

[@NesEscobar]

@@JohnGress that’s funny, it took me over 4 views to understand 😂

[@dymonmein]

0:52 in, at the “Fresnel himself” part, already the best video on fresnels Ive seen. Thank you, love your content! 👏

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much!

[@lloydphotography5169]

All of your videos are stellar.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Lloyd!

[@nilkamalsahu6243]

Thanks John for always inspiring with your work & knowledge 😊

[@JohnGress]

My pleasure! Thank you🙏🏼

[@mylescharron3746]

As someone who is a videographer first, your videos are still very helpful. Although I do not take as many photos as I wish, I still feel like I have a good underlying knowledge because of content like this. Saying that- this video has inspired me to go and scan through my Facebook listings to find some fresnels!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Myles! You could always get a fresnel modifier for a Nanlite or Aputure light.

[@tarapattyphotography]

As usual great instructional video. Makes me want to run out and get a fresnel!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! Go for it!

[@KimberlyAnnPortraits]

Excellent tutorial as always! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much 😊

[@Freyon_artmedia]

Sir gress you're so much of inspiration to me Always giving out great education, this one on frenels is a whole bunch of interesting images

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much!

[@pinkchairphotographyllc5196]

looks like I need to go on Ebay to get that fresnel! Love the falling concept for the shoot. I will have to use my strip soft boxes for the background - haven't ever done that

[@JohnGress]

Its a fun tool to have! Props to Jason for the idea!

[@michelcornelius2137]

As usual, so much qualitative and quantitative experience and thinking condensed in so highly informative and aesthetic videos, filmed at the right pace and perfect vocal tone to be cool for the viewer and most effective in their pedagogic goal. Once more congratulations from Belgium, John.

[@JohnGress]

Merci Beaucoup Michel! This is the best comment I have received all day! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@michelcornelius2137]

@@JohnGress Merci Beaucoup Jean, you well deserved it. Happy to have been one of those who contributed to make your day :-)

[@photoquent]

Another one for the mood board! Great video!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Quentin!

[@idlirabazi7216]

Honestly you are very high! Congratulation ✌🏼

[@JohnGress]

Thank you!!

[@BoomsRiddico4868]

great video! I do have a Profoto Fresnel but need to dig it out as haven't used it for ages

[@JohnGress]

You should! Or you could sell it for a mint and buy the clone on Amazon 😂

[@JohnGress]

Thanks!!

[@tobyshawphoto]

Ahh you should’ve got a crash mat in on set for this shoot

[@rickporier]

Loving the videos my man. Just bought a Mole Richardson 412 a moment ago. I was already looking around but your previous video sold me on it. Thank you for that. I was wondering though, have you done any videos on your favorite grip accessories? I noticed in this video that the light is mounted to an arm and it looks like it has a grip release you can squeeze and slide the light up or down. Did I see that right? What is that?

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Rick! I hope you enjoy the light. You can get a 1k bulb for it, which might make it easier to use. My very first video was about studio hardware (kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqHYq2WOe56ioJI), but I think what you're referring to is part of the stand it self - a Studio Titan Sidekick stand bhpho.to/3PoL4Zl

[@petemcknight803]

My question is, where you able to shoot this scene without aelerons? And by fresnel do you mean punching through the weather? Also, if you lost all power would your strobes still work or would you be limited to 10 minutes of power. 😂 GREAT video John. I always enjoy your tutorials.

[@JohnGress]

Well given that my new lights have an APU, I would just deploy it and then try to fly around the weather at a speed that wouldn't rip the T-tail off my 50 year old POS plane!

[@Birchblaze]

Great video! If I can ask, what are the wooden floor panels?

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! This video will help: Need some wood (flooring)? How I complete my portrait sets using wall paneling & planks flooring kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIGrqYmNfdyIb9U

[@bp-blackshark]

Lucky me, that more than15 years ago, i have got the original Bowens Fresnel with Bowens mount. 😎

[@JohnGress]

Winning!

[@JosviMunoz]

Thank you for clarifying so much about the fresnell uses. Can I ask what are the last measures you take in the video? you measure each light but I don't understand the measurements (2.8, 5.6, 8) are those F points? For what? Are they to find which aperture measurement would you need if you wanted to focus to each element? I don't get it... thank you so much!

[@JohnGress]

No problem. I should probably explain what I am doing with the light meter every few videos. Essentially I am placing the meter as close to the person or background as possible and then pointing it at the light. It is then telling me that if that light were used as my only light, from that angle, then I should set my camera to that f-stop to get a proper exposure. So lets say I am shooting at 5.6 and I say the light on the back of the neck meters at f4, that means that the light on the back of his neck is one f-stop darker than his face. This information is the exact information you would need to recreate the lighting in your studio.

[@JosviMunoz]

@@JohnGress Yeah! Thank you so much John!

[@TheKaver]

Not a big fan of fresnels, but to get the old hollywood look they are great

[@Mishalphoto]

Great

[@JohnGress]

Thanks!

[@JohnNg5]

Hi John, I'm thinking about trying to find this Bowen Fresnel. I see you modified it for your Elinchrom lights. Do you think it can be modified for Profoto light? Thanks!

[@JohnGress]

I don’t see why not. The person selling mine had already modified it but there has to be Bowen’s to Profoto adapter out there too.

[@JohnNg5]

@@JohnGress Thank you!

[@earthrokk01]

Hey John, Dope work and video as usual. All of this stuff is great but.... Talk about that floor you made on the set. What is it? How did you make it? Why did you make it? Thanks!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks David! I’ve got you covered with a video all about that! kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIGrqYmNfdyIb9U

[@earthrokk01]

@@JohnGress Thanks John!!! That was spot on. I am converting a section of my garage this spring to at home studio space and this solution is perfect for covering the floor! I think I will use this to make flat for the wall also. Thanks again! PS. maybe you can revisit that video with the "stained" panels...LOL.

[@JohnGress]

Thats great to hear! I havent done it yet but I did buy a new set for my new studio.

[@Charlestheright001]

Interesting

[@JohnGress]

Thanks!

[@driatros]

What's the difference (besides power output) between using the fresnel and a snoot, if you want that focused beam on his face?

[@JohnGress]

The main difference between a Fresnel and a snoot is the type of control you get over the light. A snoot, especially when used with a circle gobo, allows you to project a precise shape or pattern, like a sharply defined spotlight with hard edges where the light begins and ends. In contrast, a Fresnel will give you harsh shadows, but the edges of the light beam gradually fade, rather than having a sharp cutoff. The iris inside the Fresnel can also enlarge or reduce the size of the beam. If you’re looking for that clearly defined spotlight effect, like the one you get with a circle gobo, a snoot is the way to go. But if you want a concentrated beam with a more natural falloff, the Fresnel works well. There’s also one more layer of nuance: you can defocus a snoot’s beam by adjusting its lens, which will create a similar falloff when compared to the Fresnel. However, because the Fresnel’s lens is much larger than the snoot’s, the light from the Fresnel will generally be more forgiving on the skin.

[@driatros]

That is fantastic! Thank you so much for taking the time to explain if.

[@JohnGress]

Sure thing! you may have just given me an idea for a follow up video!

[@driatros]

@@JohnGress That sounds awesome! You have the best channel on studio / lighting on KZbin by far!

[@JohnGress]

Thank you os much! I am just trying to speed up people journey!

[@doctorstrobe]

I play the Strip lights Because there's no place I can go Strip lights, it's the only way I know Strip lights And there's a thousand cards to play Until you play your lights away

[@TheSunnySuttons]

😃😃😃😃😃😃

[@lkfs55]

I love this video and happy I have one Mole Richardson fresnel light that I bought about 35 or 40 years ago and it works just fine. I am going to try this someday. I do have one question and that is the stand and light grips that you had in front of the model. Cool way to adjust light height easily. Thanks for sharing.... 🫶

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! That’s a Studio Titan Side Kick STA-06-090 bhpho.to/3UakUM1 with I think a Kupo offset arm amzn.to/2DlleEz

[@jackiepooja]

Amazing presentation about photography and about,related equipments like cameras and modifiers...You are truly a justifier on all...the way You presented,with every single definition,is just Awesome !! We really appreciate all ur work.Also We are getting engaged with it too..Thanx and Congrats !

[@JohnGress]

Wow! Thanks a ton!