When it comes to portrait photography and videography, lighting plays a crucial role in setting the mood, evoking emotions, and creating captivating visuals. Many assume that achieving cinematic lighting requires a complex setup with multiple expensive lights. However, you'll be surprised to learn how much creativity can be unleashed with just one tiny, and affordable light source. In this blog post, we'll explore the possibilities and techniques for achieving stunning cinematic lighting using a single compact light!

Embrace the Power of Shadows

If you follow my work, you know that shadows are what define my particular style. I love playing with them to create moodiness and convey emotions.

Shadows are often overlooked but are essential in creating depth and drama in cinematic lighting. With a single light source, you can strategically position it to cast intriguing shadows on your subject's face or the surrounding environment. Experiment with different angles and distances to sculpt the desired shadows, bringing a touch of mystery and intensity to your portraits or videos.

Self-Portrait of a Woman — *Edited with* *“Cinematic by Laura BC”* *Lightroom Preset*

Modify Light with Accessories

While a single light source may seem limiting, you can expand its potential by using various accessories. Light modifiers such as diffusers, reflectors, and grids can help you shape the light to achieve the desired effect. A diffuser can soften harsh lighting, while a reflector can bounce and fill in light to eliminate unwanted shadows.

Experiment with different accessories to transform the quality and direction of your light, adding versatility to your creative process.

My favourite light modifier is a softbox. And the bigger the best. It’ll diffuse more the light and make the skin of your subject look softer. This is my favourite one and the one I recommend: Elinchrom Rotalux Deep Octabox

PLAY WITH DIFFERENT Colour Temperature

Colour temperature refers to the warmth or coolness of light, measured in Kelvin.

By manipulating the colour temperature, you can enhance the mood and atmosphere of your portraits and videos. A single light with adjustable colour temperature settings allows you to experiment with different looks. For instance, warmer tones evoke a cosy and intimate feel, like in the self-portrait you can see above. While cooler tones lend a futuristic or mysterious ambience like in the example below. Don't be afraid to play with colour temperature to achieve your desired cinematic effect!

If you watch the video at the beginning of this post, you’ll have a better understanding of the gear I used for these self-portraits. I also show you two incredibly powerful and portable lights that from now on, I’ll be taking with me during my upcoming travels!

I won’t be having a studio setup abroad. So they’ll be very useful to record my YouTube videos and shoot some creative portrait photography on the go.

This is the gear I used for these portraits:

Main Camera: https://geni.us/SCz0mJ
Lens: https://geni.us/pSyP
Tiny and Portable Light: https://geni.us/cVFfIX4
My Favourite Tripod: http://bit.ly/3v0Nzsw (10% Discount Code: Laura)

* These are affiliate links which means that if you purchase anything through them, I may get a little commission without any extra charge for you. Thank you for supporting my work! :)

Utilizing Light Placement and Distance

Even with just one tiny light, you can achieve remarkable results by strategically placing it in different positions and adjusting the distance from your subject. Moving the light higher or lower, to the side, or behind your subject can create very interesting and dynamic lighting setups.

Experiment with different angles and distances to sculpt the desired highlights and shadows, accentuating the features and contours of your subject.

Incorporating Creative Light Patterns

Patterns created by light can add a touch of visual interest and intrigue to your portraits and videos. With a single light source, you can experiment with various objects placed in front of the light to cast unique patterns on your subject.

In these particular self-portraits, I used smoke to enhance the cinematic feeling I wanted to achieve. But you can use materials like lace, branches, or even a transparent plastic bag (I do this a lot), to create captivating patterns that add depth and texture to your shots. These creative patterns can elevate your work and make it stand out from the crowd!

IN SUMMARY

Creating cinematic lighting doesn't necessarily require an expensive, elaborate setup. With a single tiny and affordable light source, you can unlock a world of creativity and achieve stunning results. By understanding the power of shadows, using light modifiers, exploring colour temperature, experimenting with placement and distance, and incorporating creative light patterns, you can elevate your portrait photography and videography to new heights!

So, don't let the size or cost of your lighting equipment discourage you. Embrace the challenge and let your imagination run wild. With a single light, the possibilities are endless. Go out there, experiment, and create stunning cinematic visuals that leave a lasting impact!

Watch the video at the beginning of this blog post to learn everything about how to get cinematic lighting with a tiny light source as seeing it is better than reading it. 😊

Don’t forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel for weekly videos about Photography, the Creative Industry and Vlogs! See you there!

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