Portrait lighting tutorial with three point lighting- four looks from my photoshoot with Justin

If you want to skip past the vlog the tutorial starts at 4:39.
In today’s lighting tutorial, I’m going to breakdown four looks that I created with our model Justin.
To learn from me in person, please sign-up today at johngress.com/workshops/
Model Justin Leonard: / justinleonard__
Styling by Pablo Roberto: / proberto331
BTS video by vimeo.com/storyographers
Equipment used:
Elinchrom Rotalux Deep Octabox 100cm amzn.to/2UEwvas
Elinchrom Indirect Litemotiv Octabox 190cm / 74-Inch www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
Elinchrom Rotalux Stripbox 35x90cm (EL26644) amzn.to/3sI2dCV
V-FLAT WORLD Foldable V-Flat, Set of 2, Black/White
bit.ly/3fXqaid
Matthews Junior Boom: amzn.to/2ZBQEBz
Studio Titan STA 06-200: studiotitanamerica.com/collec...
Mola Setti 28″ Softlight: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
Music: Evolution by Bensound bensound.com/

[@zecchinon]

This is gold! Thanks John.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@71whitey]

The main man! Love your work, mate.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks mate!

[@EdwargGz]

Loving your channel John! Keep it up!

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much! I am glad you enjoy it!

[@raulakis35]

Gave me plenty of ideas here John!! thanks again for such a great video!!

[@JohnGress]

Glad to hear it! Thanks!

[@elizabethlangphotography9652]

Your work is beautiful and I enjoy listening to your videos. Thank you

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much!

[@lim2001burger]

Great tutorial as always! And congrats on getting your drone licence :) and thanks for sharing your close call with the unwell model - brings home that we need to stay vigilant and careful until the pandemic is over. Take care and stay healthy and safe.

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much and thanks for noticing. Stay safe. 😁😷

[@dereksnyder638]

Such great videos! Thanks :)

[@JohnGress]

Thanks and thanks for watching!

[@rennhor]

The business suit is quite charming!

[@fangbifxx]

Amazing setup

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much!

[@lirisrobert]

You look great!!

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much!!

[@Pezinokrm]

Good lighting tutorial, I totally agree getting the shot in camera is the way to go as well as using a light meter.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks!

[@MrJupton1]

Do it like us old guys... String 'em!

[@ChrisWhickerDesignerImages]

I just got out of covid quarantine I actually tested positive for covid and was pretty sick. I still don’t feel well. Thanks John always putting out quality video. I always remember to call my mom 📷😂

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Chris. I hope you feel better soon and I better give mine a ring when she wakes up.

[@johnspijkers7368]

Nice! Thanks for sharing!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks for watching!

[@johnspijkers7368]

@@JohnGress Thank you for letting me learn from your video's.

[@nasroullahdinally5140]

Thanks John. I also like to use the lcd screen to loe

[@nasroullahdinally5140]

To shoot low shoots especially to same my lower back. I was wondering John do you always only shoot men fashion or ladies as well?

[@JohnGress]

I shoot a little bit of everything. My IG is Johngressmedia =)

[@parthasarathikanaparthi2366]

Love you john

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much!😊😊😊😊

[@markthompson8240]

Will definitely try that dress up lobby technique. 😂😂 Great tutorial as always! 🙌🏾

[@JohnGress]

It either works every time or it never mattered. However, one time I walked into a private club with an orange pelican and a blue collar tradesmen who was exciting started talking to me as though I was there to work on the same job.

[@markthompson8240]

@@JohnGress haha nothing wrong with blending in!

[@KarenVaisman1]

I just discovered your channel and I am enjoying it very much I’m curious have you made a video on Covid safety and what you recommend what do you ask your clients before booking a job do you do anything when the client shows up ... do you have clients sign anything? how do you make sure everyone is safe I’d love to see a video like that!

[@JohnGress]

Hi Karen, I did have a video about that around a year ago, but I took it down for a lack of engagement and relevance as so much has changed since then. I have them sign a waiver and fill out a health screening questionnaire and there are temp checks. Then we all wear masks until it’s shoot time. PPA and ASMP both have good resources about this on their sites but I’m hoping this won’t be something we have to worry about much longer.

[@Guillermo_says]

Hello, John. Thank you for your amazingly informative videos. I have a burning question. My peers locally tend to disregard pictures with black in it or shadows that fall to black. What are your thoughts on shadows losing detail? Specially the shadows that are not part of the subject.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! I think if those black are black then don't worry about it, or if they are black because of sever under exposure. I am still getting used to Capture One and I am struggling with details in my subject blacks, like this black suit. But its caused by apply a style and I keep forgetting to elevate the black slider a little.

[@mikeaugustin2494]

Thanks for the tutorial! I thought you preferred the Mola Demi? (From your Dec video)

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Mike I now own a Rayo, Demi and Setti. Back when I filmed this, I only had the Rayo and Setti.

[@wendygarfinkelgold]

Ah. Just what I was looking for

[@JohnGress]

Aww Thanks Wendy!

[@AaronMatthewGoddard]

Also, call your Mom. Thanks John! Great video.

[@JohnGress]

Opps! I forgot that this time. I better call her up. Thanks Aaron!

[@ChristianPalm]

Thank you very much for this video post! Liked both your story at the beginning and the lighting tutorial. Just a question, if I may: does the big Octa behind the small Octa not throw shadows onto the model? Excuse my English, I am German...

[@JohnGress]

Danke! The octabox behind the model created the highlights on the sides of his head and body and the shadows on his muscles from the the beauty dish in the front.

[@ChristianPalm]

@@JohnGress Thank you, but what I meant is in the first lighting setup, there are two Octaboxes in a row, so does not the small 100 cm in front of the big 190 cm cause shadows? The 190 cm is covered in an area by the smaller one.

[@JohnGress]

Because the bigger one is dimmer than the smaller one, it just lightens the shadows cast by the smaller one.

[@LMActionsports]

If you ever come to Pittsburgh I would love to take your course

[@JohnGress]

I was there a few years ago. Maybe I’ll go to Cleveland sometime.

[@LMActionsports]

@@JohnGress If you go to Cleveland let me know it’s about a 3 1/2 hour drive for me and I would love to take one of your workshops. I live in Pennsylvania New York City is about 6 1/2 hours away from me but Cleveland is close

[@Mowikan]

I totally agreed with you. Better to measure the light correct then spending time in photoshop (I don’t have photoshop only C1) thx again!

[@JohnGress]

Thank you!

[@himangupta73]

How did you light yourself in this? What light and what color temperature have you used? Have you used any diffusion filter on the lens? It's beautifully lit

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! That looks like it may have been a beauty dish. I know it was back during the time frame when I was using Aputure daylight balanced lights. Now I use Nanlites and this video may help! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipq2fod-acx1gdE

[@himangupta73]

@@JohnGress Awesome video. That was super helpful - especially the light ratios. One question - what's the color temperature of the key light? Is it at 3200 or thereabouts? Thanks.

[@rickjbradbury]

I have always been a shoot through the viewfinder kind person, far more stable shooting position for hand held. Your thinking regarding the effect off having a camera and lens pointing at you, I can understand your though process . I think the same way with these 200/300 F2.8/F2 primes, they are just this big black hole to look in to; that and the shooting distance whilst it may be good for todays world breaks any sense of intimacy and communications in portraits. This is why I stick to 100mm or below for most of my portrait work and I have little to no need for the 70-200.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Richard. I agree, I'm going to use either 50mm or 85mm unless I don't have a choice.

[@nnfotografia]

Nice video John! Btw, What's your favorite softbox/octabox size for corporate portraits? Cheers

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! Probably the 100cm deep octa, but given your question, you would probably also like this video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZOqgqZ3pNqHfMU

[@arthur3038]

great clothes.. i noticed even before you talked about it.. suites yo well..

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much! =)

[@Stone1108]

Some great tips and tutoring, thanks John. Those Mola’s are a bit out of reach cost wise for me at present, can you recommend another beauty dish? I guess Elinchrom as I use their strobes. I’ve only ever used a small open soft box with a deflector but know I’d get better results with a B Dish.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Andrew! The Elinchrom Snaplux beauty dish could be a good choice. I just bought a mola Demi on eBay for $175ish.

[@Stone1108]

@@JohnGress Thanks John, i’ll try and hunt for a mola! Elinchrom haven’t let me down yet so also look to see what deals or used offers are out there.

[@curtisclement]

I always return to videos like yours to watch over again and I have a question. Do you light people different based on their complexion? I have a woman that I’ve shot with that has scars possibly from popping zits and doing feathered lighting has a tendency to accentuate it more. Thanks

[@JohnGress]

Great to hear. I would avoid doing anything that casts much of a shadow. So one light. Near one camera and then a second light for fill.

[@peterfasching8944]

Could you please tell us about the big case you used for all the equipment you had to carry with you at 04:24? thank u :)

[@JohnGress]

amzn.to/2QkOHpr. Thank you!

[@nateevans8585]

John, what brand is that rolling case you use? It looks marvelous!

[@JohnGress]

SKB 😊😊😊 here’s a video about it - sort of - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZPWlGVjobuFi7s

[@jamiefraser87]

Agree completely about people who use the LCD to shoot. Especially people who hold the camera out in front of themselves. But I'd be lying if I didn't say I've become one of them!!!

[@JohnGress]

LOL I think that is me 100%

[@crr7171]

Great vid as always John, glad you found that iPhone charger, the one you are using looks like it's on its last leg lol

[@JohnGress]

Ha! Most of mine are!

[@crr7171]

@@JohnGress Same lol

[@AMBD90]

Thank you, what backdrops do you use?

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! Gravity Backdrops

[@AMBD90]

@@JohnGress Thank you. Your videos are very much appreciated as it is easy to follow and you are just so damn classy and well spoken.

[@DDiegoBigode]

heheh adorei o cabo quebrado 3:06 , isso mostra que ele é humano

[@JohnGress]

Obrigado Apple! 😉

[@florentographie]

The model’s hot

[@jeffreyrosenberg7765]

What is that hard case you had when you went to the lawyer shoot?

[@jeffreyrosenberg7765]

Never mind. I missed it in the other comments. 😜

[@JohnGress]

Ok great!

[@R21654A]

4:40

[@hamedtube4566]

Am i trippin or does your face’s exposure changes throughout the video ? :/….great video tho

[@JohnGress]

Possibly, There is a skylight in the room. Thanks!

[@drewkoube]

Get to the point already!! Good lord!