Perfect Lighting Setup for Model Headshot

[@josephchan4198]

Thank you for having the website and sample videos. I always learn something from your videos!!

[@tumadsvids]

Geez that girl is stunning. Gonna do this EXACT setup on my next shoot. Thanks.

[@alexds8452]

clever use of warm vs cool blue light on the 2 sides of the face for 3D effect!

[@jamaldu-barry7944]

Your videos are the best youtube for photography! Thank you.

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Glad you like them Jamal!

[@RalfWeyer]

This must be the first time I’ve spotted all 4 lights, although number four was hard to figure out indeed since it only gives a slight hint of light on the right side of her face 😊. As always great explanation and a lot to learn 👍.

[@bradleybiederer8796]

Nicely done! I missed the strip box and I didn’t account for a diffusion on the 3rd light. I’m pretty impressed with myself now seeing how I can spot these things when 5 months ago I’d miss all but the key light.

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Thanks.

[@Boleskinebeatz]

Great work Alex, how much retouching was added afterwards that we are seeing here?

[@alancongratssoonyoullhead5273]

Amazing work ❤ Thank for sharing

[@joostmak]

Great photo!! Thanks for the inspiration for my next shoot .......!

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Cheers.

[@smalltalk.productions9977]

always time well spent learning from someone who knows their craft and how to teach. thank you for the effort and the sharing. i am an appreciative subscriber. thumbs up.

[@banasreekunal]

Nice explanation sir. Hat's off to you. We are hopping to see how could you explain this on practical basis.

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Yes that is done on Karl Taylor Education.

[@imteazsajid2516]

Hello sir, I'm from Bangladesh. Learned a ton from your videos, still learning every single detail. Currently working with a single Speedlight with a softbox and some minimal lighting setups. Results are not too pleasing , but I'm loving it. And thanks to you, yesterday I got called from an agency to help them with one of their projects.

[@DrJorgeReynal]

I did not see the fourth one. You got me on this one!!!

[@djben928]

I really like this channel and it is very helpful. Karl's experience and passion in photography is superb. I highly recommended this channel.

[@nashhall694]

Great work Karl, I picked every light except the last one!….lol😀👍👌🔥

[@thomaswindfeld728]

Same here😆💪🏼

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Good stuff.

[@jean-pierrecantin3546]

As always. Really good instructions on how to achieve a look like that. Thanks Karl for sharing with us.

[@VisualEducationStudio]

My pleasure

[@sandraamato6004]

Stunning Carl. I impressed myself I knew 3 of the 4 lights; I missed the strip light 🤦🏻‍♀️ However, I learned all of this from your videos and appreciating your art. Well done. 🙌🏼💕

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Thank you Zandra :)

[@snakeeyes237]

The only one I've missed was the strip box, I'm so proud of what I have learned 'till now 😊

[@johannestolle9164]

Amazing photo and even better description! Thank you so much, I always enjoy watching.

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Many thanks

[@MrCamilo.]

Yup I got it, thanks for sharing. Looking forward to your courses.

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Awesome, thank you!

[@reallyjoereally4781]

Because of @Karl Taylor, my photography has literally jumped 10 years ahead (at minimum). I no longer fear client expectations and I am so willing to try out new things, it's incredible. Thank you Karl!

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Thank you.

[@israrshah]

Always pleasant to watch your tutorials... beautiful

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Thank you! Cheers

[@Govannonart]

Spotted three lights straight away. Thought about the fourth one, but couldn't find a clue where was it located. Thanks for breaking down this photo, useful as usual. Best regards From Mother Russia

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Cheers Nikolai.

[@KimByrne07]

Great explanation as always. Love the idea of defusing the gel light. I missed the subtlety of the strip until you mentioned it. I know my next training video to watch :-)

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Thanks Kim.

[@brunogorricho2037]

You are awesome!!

[@geriguzja952]

Thanks to your teachings on KTE, i spotted all the four lights correctly, even got the degrees right. (Your Portrait photography courses are a blessing) What escaped my eye, was the diffusion panel used on on the light with the blue gel. Always inspiring to watch such high quality and informative content!

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Cheers Geri

[@derekmccabe9614]

Really great tutorial… I got all 4 lights, but always love to watch your channel for ideas to try.

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Glad you like them thanks

[@RS-Amsterdam]

Great video, love these light explanations. Got it right except the last light as probably many would. The only thing I was not sure about was the lack of shadow on her neck (right under her chin) since the key light was 45 degree above her but it will be probably the size of the para that would have covered that. Talking about a real beautiful face, man she is a knock out. Thanks for sharing again and please more of these vid's.

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Thanks RS, I thought I'd replied to this already but obviously not. The reduction in shadow under the chin is probably due to the lower than usual working height of the 133 that I had here.

[@paymanahadinejad2975]

Perfect

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Thank you - much appreciated Payman

[@michaela8802]

Thank you!!!

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Welcome!

[@tedming3515]

Wow, Karl! It's magic. Thank you!

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Glad you like it

[@poojabakery8735]

Good teaching

[@athosdiego3151]

Nice job

[@oshcan]

Very informative ! Thank you !

[@VisualEducationStudio]

You are welcome

[@Petramojomusic]

My wish is to know the lighting camera and lens(f stop...)you used to make this video because I do videos and interested and your skin looks perfect as well as video quality. I think many videographers would like to know. Thank you!

[@VisualEducationStudio]

See our video on our channel on how we make our youtube videos.

[@moealyasini2784]

Amazing as always.. Question Carl: why does that background light does not look as smooth and gradient with me ? Do you have a frosted cover or grid on the 70 deg reflector ?

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Your paper may have ripples in it due to moisture, age, bowing etc. This was a new roll of paper.

[@moealyasini2784]

@@VisualEducationStudio thanks a lot ! Makes sense. As always my idol Carl

[@gilles6238]

yes ! thanks

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Welcome!

[@realthoprivate]

Thank you very much for the video Mr. Taylor. Very inspiring. Highly appreciated your videos are not monetized. Thanks a lot. Side question: Do you know if it is true that Hasselblad’s owner, Chinese drone maker DJI, is planning to rename Hasselblad to “DJI Hasselblad”?

[@VisualEducationStudio]

My pleasure. I have no idea about you second question though!

[@adsertheblade]

Love it, Karl. I guessed the lights, and suspected the strip, though I was not sure...The shadow under the chin is almost non existent, was that a result of the Para, or was there a bounce board underneath? Thanks

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Thank you and Para lower down than usual.

[@alexandersilva3482]

Very nice my dude

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Thanks for the visit

[@VALERYAN581]

thx Karl,I liked it was easy, more videos like that, I didn't expect para to by so soft no hot spot (big like) ,at 4 light I thought it was a little more parallel to the subject and diffused,sry google translate

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Glad you liked it

[@jwilliam6902]

how big a space would you need to perform this portrait set up Karl?

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Hi, about 3m x 3m

[@GoranSlika]

Thanks for mentioning this was done on the fly in front of a crowd. Perhaps the ratios could have been further fine-tuned had you been in the studio, I find her face is a little overexposed and the blue light is a little too saturated. Having said that, the intentions you conveyed behind each light are very helpful, thanks!

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Hi Goran, check the exposure of the image on my commercial site it may be down to KZbin compression.

[@hawg427]

Great photo Karl. Did you have to do any retouching on the models face? What ratio would this lighting be, a 2:1 a 3:1??

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Hi there is a bit of burn and dodge as always on my beauty portraits. I never know the lighting ratios as I just adjust the look by eye and don't often note down the settings as ratios are greatly affected by distance too which would be more work to measure and I don't use a light meter.

[@hawg427]

@@VisualEducationStudio Thank's Karl.

[@grzgrzgrzegorz]

Great tutorial, i just have a question concerning the video file. From second 22 till around 33 sec i see like small fireflies on your shirt and like so blocky artifacts on the back of the eizo and around the ring flash. am i the only one with this?

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Probably dandruff and fireflies or nano alients trying to get in on the scene.

[@wrobi2267]

Just great.There is no shadow below the chin. I would expect there is a reflector in front of the model. Isn't?

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Thanks but I don't think there was in this case it may just be that I used it lower down and quite close to the subject. There isn't any reflector catch lights in the eyes which there would normally be but to be honest I shot this many years ago so I can't remember!

[@masausuki1464]

Hi Karl, I could guess how you lit the photo at this time! Thank you very much for your great education platform Karl Taylor education. I was so happy to see the diagram to double check what I saw in the photo. Btw, did you loose some weight?

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Glad it was helpful and that you are enjoying the platform. I've been doing some additional fitness training recently so that may be it.

[@longliveclassicmusic]

It's never appropriate to comment on someone's weight even if you think it's a compliment. First, you could have been wrong and he may have never lost a single pound (I've had someone comment before and this be the case). Second, it can validate severe body image emotional issues people had for years before losing by confirming that they were right and validating their worst fears. Third, it gives people a sense that the person they were for all those years was judged to be uglier and less worthy than who they are now, when they lived every day as that person for a long time. And lastly, not all changes are permanent. Swing dieting is a huge problem, and masses of people are unable to sustain weight loss. The more unsolicited excitement someone got when they lost weight, the more baggage and disappointment they assume when they gain some, all, or even more than all of it back.

[@enduraman1]

You have a dark brown hair on a dark background creating a separation issue. Instead of using the rim lights you needed a hair light.

[@marchinderickx8193]

Hello Master Karl, As always a very clear explanation illustrated by a diagram. Unfortunately, the graph is in 2D and does not allow to appreciate the angles. Maybe a 3D drawing like set.a.light. 3D from elixxier would be clearer. My 2 cents ;-)

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Ahh yes but we're not going to put that much effort in to free videos on youtube when you can watch the whole shoots in precise detail in video and with precises step by step explanations on Karl Taylor Education!

[@trakkino]

Do you use X + x/2 + x/4 rule?

[@VisualEducationStudio]

No, I only ever use my eyes.

[@rolisaenz]

@@VisualEducationStudio Masta!!! JEDI !!!

[@bulentkarakis]

why do you need the blue light?

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Why don't you need a blue light?

[@alexandrealmeida4360]

I got 3 out of 4 right. I thought the effect on her left side was a bit of dodging in editing.

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Good effort Alexandre!

[@kinsmanmceastland533]

Where do you get the lighting diagram software?

[@VisualEducationStudio]

I make all the items myself in photoshop and save the layers so I can use them again in future ones.

[@rolisaenz]

@@VisualEducationStudio WOW!! i tought you use some drawing software like autocad or google sketchup

[@Introdigitalarts]

Perfect Karl. I have enjoyed Karl Education. Wow man it is worth it. We love you here in Dubai

[@kinsmanmceastland533]

@@VisualEducationStudio Can you send info on how to do it to me I would truly appreciate it

[@davesmulders3931]

Good idea to let people find the lighting setup first and then explain it. However, this one was way too obvious. Maybe you can make a video some day with several lighting setups which we can guess, and pick some harder ones. I think that's good training to force yourself to imagine the setup from just the photo. Should get interesting to discern a beauty dish from a para without the help of catchlights for example. Although the blue sheen could have easily been a large octa, close, with a gelled strobe, and you would never see the difference.

[@VisualEducationStudio]

Yes a gelled Octa would have worked but would have been a bit softer. Although my main reason for this method was speed and space constraints.

[@jhoang861]

😯 she doesn’t look real. I thought she was animated until you started talking about your shoot.

[@VisualEducationStudio]

I made her in my basement from fairy dust and mega pixies. She went on to do great things.

[@jhoang861]

@@VisualEducationStudio next episode….how to create a model from fairy dust and megapixies 😉

[@beanghosh3195]

Is there any limit to your knowledge??