Full Body Photography Lighting: Master Essential Studio Techniques for Perfect Portraits 🎓📸

[@JohnGress]

The first 500 people to use my link skl.sh/johngress09241 will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare premium! This video is sponsored by Skillshare.

[@alexanderpons9246]

Great Tutorial John Gress, it sure is nice to see side by side what each modifier generates! By the way, I was wondering if one does not have a large strip bank could one try bouncing the one light into a V Flat(positioned creating an angle) to maybe get a similar look? Thank you John Gress for all the great content you generously share in this channel!

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much! Using a vflat like this is a great idea! Sometimes I will angle the vflat so it will great and edge highlight and light the background too.

[@alexanderpons9246]

@@JohnGress Good day John Gress and thanks for responding! Funny right after I saw the video lastnight I went ahead and tried what I asked you(no model around so it was me and the camera on timer). So I placed my 5' octa to the side and placed the V Flat with the other head mimicking the placement of your large strip, I also kept your exposure values on the main as well as the side. Anyway, it does create a pleasant soft definition and I will definetilly use this from now on but it's not as directional as a strip bank may be. Again Sir, thank you for your generosity and sharing so much on your great channel, much Health and success to you!

[@AbSesayPhoto]

Well done John! Love the wide shot as well. It's really easy to see what's going on.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Ab! Maybe next time I’ll shoot it in 8k and punch in 🤣

[@madhusoodanshimoga5725]

Great content as always, thanks for that. One question, how about using grid on the long strip box. how will it affect the result. And what I observed is that strip box is pointed more towards camera than the model, is it again for feathering?.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks so much! Great question. I often point my softbox toward the camera mainly to keep light off the background rather than for feathering. I’m not sure if feathering in this position makes a noticeable difference in light quality on the subject. A grid would allow you to aim the modifier directly at the person while still keeping the light off the background, but as I demonstrated here, it may not always be necessary to use grids. Grids are helpful in small spaces to prevent light from bouncing off lightly colored surfaces and filling in shadows. Thanks again for watching and commenting!

[@madhusoodanshimoga5725]

@@JohnGress Thanks for the prompt reply. yes got it. I am a photographer from India. I mostly shoot full body portraits of classical dancers in my studio. I always use black background as they use the images after extracting image and some as it is. One of the challenges I face is if I use large soft box in order to cover the entire body evenly as you did in the video the area surrounding the feet gets more light turning it into grey. So invariably I use 85 cm soft box and and in the post I correct the underexposed area at the bottom of the model. Since background is about 6 feet I will not have any issue. Is that a correct way or is there any work around. I wish I could send some pictures for you to review.

[@JohnGress]

Sure thing. If you are using a paper background and an edge light then it will frequently result in a gray floor but maybe using black fabric is the solution as I think it probably wouldn't reflect as much light. Also you could try a program like Evoto which could cut extract the person and place them on black in a few clicks. You could probably do the same with a Photoshop action too.

[@tonyclarke5068]

John, awesome content as usual. Was thinking though that for most people who either shoot in their home studio or in an are with 9' ish ceilings it would be tough to get that key light high enough. Do you have any suggestions for such a scenario?

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! Good point. I used to shoot in a studio and a living room with 10’ and 9’ ceilings, so I feel your pain! In my experience, even in a 9’ space, you can still use a 4’ softbox like the one in this video. For standing shots in smaller spaces, a 3-4’ modifier works really well, and for seated setups, you can often go a bit bigger, like a 5’ octa. This is part of the reason why I always say if you can only own one softbox, get a 3’ octa. Thanks again for watching and commenting-talk to you soon!

[@tonyclarke5068]

@@JohnGress Thanks for your response.

[@okeefest]

I often shoot in a space with ceilings that are less than 8’ tall. My workaround is to use two lights as I cannot use my large softbox for the key light.

[@BokushingusKendoTV]

I have a solution. Turn your ceiling into the light source. I do artistic/painterly portraits in my home studio. I turn my wall or ceiling into a light source by bounce. If I do mobile painterly portrait, I take a collapsable 8’ reflector and bounce into that. It gives a soft window light feel.

[@tonyvladi9940]

how about try a beauty dish?

[@jehanw543]

Great video as always John thanks for these tips I'm pretty new to this and your videos help learning it piece by piece. Can you help determine the camera height when you have some time :)? I see that in this particular video, you are photographing a little below the waste level . Thanks again

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much. That is great to hear! This old video may help. Maybe I should make a new one 🤔The power of perspective: how the elevation of your camera can empower the subject or the viewer kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6q4lZqpnp57asU

[@madtom67]

I've used 2 smaller strip boxes as I do not own a very large one, that also worked! Great content as always! Thanks!😃

[@shichaosun3298]

do you put one on top of the other vertically or one vertical one horizontal?

[@JohnGress]

Ahhh yes! I used that approach when shooting basketball players simulating action. Thank you!

[@JohnGress]

You might enjoy this video =) kzbin.info/www/bejne/f367c6ufpM2ierc

[@tdurrshoots]

The Sekonic light meter features you have Is a great advantage. Real cool. Great video!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! It was a big part of my decision to switch from Profoto. Sekonic makes them for other brands too. IDK if it will help but here is the Godox one: Sekonic L-858D-U (401-858) Meter Plus RT-GX for Godox Adorama howl.me/cmQWhrMoP3A Amazon amzn.to/4corJ5H B&H bhpho.to/4crCu77

[@bricelangston8634]

Idea from John's shooting position - I use stools from Vyper. The stools are built like tanks, comfortable, and fairly adjustable.

[@JamaalMurray]

Dropping gems as always! Thank you for this video 🙏🏾

[@JohnGress]

My pleasure!! Thank you!

[@simonekakabor9020]

Thank you so so much sir

[@JohnGress]

Most welcome!

[@yourvitamin9474]

Fantastic! This way of shooting is first time for me on KZbin ❤

[@JohnGress]

Thank you!

[@yourvitamin9474]

Please share about photo correction and color grading A to Z ?

[@JohnGress]

I am sure I will touch on that before too long but I think this video may help for now =) kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGnUXpmlYtaim9E

[@ggarciacota]

Great video as always John!! Thank you for sharing your experience. I also just used your affiliate link to sign up for Skillshare. I wish you blessings. 🙏

[@JohnGress]

Awesome thank you! Enjoy and best of luck!

[@g.nagendran7400]

Super very usefull

[@JohnGress]

Thank you!

[@meister1719]

Toll erklärt, Danke. Werde ich ausprobieren 👍

[@JohnGress]

Vielen Dank für dein Feedback! 😊 Es freut mich sehr, dass dir das Video gefallen hat. Lass mich wissen, wie es läuft, wenn du es ausprobierst! Viel Erfolg! 💡 Übrigens, meine Vorfahren stammen aus Bayern, also erfüllt es mich mit Stolz, einen Kommentar auf Deutsch zu bekommen. Ich benutze allerdings ChatGPT, um zu antworten! 😉

[@MartinV.]

Great Video!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks!

[@Santafefashionweek]

Great information

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! I hope it was helpful!

[@cbcphotography9781]

How do you light a 7 footer person, would you add more light?

[@JohnGress]

The strip boxes have to be bigger. Pro secrets: All the small things that most pro photographers will never share kzbin.info/www/bejne/f367c6ufpM2ierc

[@cbcphotography9781]

@@JohnGress Thank you for sharing the link. Appreciate it.

[@shichaosun3298]

have a silly question. will a 41 inch reflective umbrella work similarly to the 120cm box (the one you used in this video)? Thanks

[@JohnGress]

Sure thing! It will be a little different but not anything substantial.

[@johnnywestmoreland7667]

What was the setting on that light from the furthest distance

[@JohnGress]

I believe full power.

[@terrymcnavage5104]

John, I would like to suggest a video on portrait makeup. It looks like you are using matte makeup for yourself. So, just curious as I have no clue where to start with makeup.

[@JohnGress]

I feel attacked LOL While this pandemic era video doesn't show me using it, it does show what I use. I use the photo ready concealer now too, but only on myself. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6fEn6OInLB9gJY

[@terrymcnavage5104]

@@JohnGress Thank you John. That is a big help.

[@JohnGress]

Anytime!

[@kenneth6102]

Great video! Thanks. You have definitely out grown your shorts.

[@allmariosarmiento]

Thought the same thing about the shorts! But yes, great video.

[@svoivdosku]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@adenewton]

Why not use the large stripbox for the keylight also for a more even spread of light in the first place from head to toe?

[@JohnGress]

That could work but with most of the softbox under the chin the shadows on the nose wouldn't go down.

[@shichaosun3298]

wish I saw this video earlier.

[@JohnGress]

It just came out today, but I hope it helps in the future.

[@chriscard6544]

my secret is to work with small models

[@JohnGress]

Thats a great idea. Especially in small rooms ;)

[@richschmitt100]

Any reason why you’re wearing those shorts? They look kind of girly.

[@martinedwards3082]

referring to the model in the 3rd person is extremly rude.

[@JohnGress]

At 6:58 and 8:22, I’m referring to any subject, not specifically ‘her.’ The phrasing is intentionally gender-neutral.

[@sentand-sg3yr]

Hello, how can I tell if the softbox is pointed at the subject from any angle?

[@JohnGress]

I think the answer to your question is either at 5:00 or 6:05

[@sentand-sg3yr]

@@JohnGress I mean how to aim the softbox to skim over the surface correctly, or the center of the light to point at the object correctly, and I noticed that you had a look at the back of the light stand is how to aim it

[@JohnGress]

I think you might like this related video I referenced in today's video kzbin.info/www/bejne/kImcdHt5qaqfhcU