How to create a moody character shot using one light

Learn how to create a moody character shot working with just one light.

This is a simple lighting style showing you how to create several different looks in one location using one light and one reflector. Here, Gina has used her Elinchrom Quadra battery operated lights and a beauty dish but you can create a similar effect using Speedlights and a small softbox.

We recorded this tutorial in the corridor of a hotel but you can apply the same techniques anywhere.

In this tutorial, Gina will show you:

How to use shutter speed to increase or decrease ambient light in an image
How to use aperture to control flash
How to work with reflectors
How to eliminate ambient light to create low key lighting
How to shoot a portrait with lighting in the frame
A super quick and simple way to remove light stands from an image non-destructively using Photoshop
Her workflow for editing an image in Lightroom and Photoshop.

categories: Lighting, Lightroom, Photoshop, Tutorial, composites, direction, flash, Intermediate, lighting, lightroom, photoshop, posing, speedlights, studio lighting

One light low key image photographed in a corridor

One light moody character shot using shutter speed to control ambient light

Original image with lights in the frame

Empty background or “clean plate”

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