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Rangefinder Magazine
Archives
Bare Bulb Portraiture In
The Studio by J.J. Allen
The Hottest Portrait Light Going is Making a Big Comeback
A bare bulb, or flash tube, is a unique but seldom used light source
for studio portrait photography. Why is a bare bulb different from
other light sources such as umbrellas, soft boxes and parabolic
reflectors? Unlike all of these, a bare bulb is a point light source.
Like the sun, which is also a point light source, a bare bulb casts
shadows with very sharp edges. The artificial light source that
is closest in effect to a bare bulb is an optical spotlight or a
parabolic reflector fitted with a grid spot. The difference between
these and a bare bulb is a matter of shadow detail. A spot light
concentrates light in one area, and, unless a fill light is added,
casts shadows with very little detail. A bare bulb scatters light
in all directions, turning every surface it reaches into a reflector.
If the reflecting surface is light enough and close enough, it becomes
a fill light, adding needed shadow detail.
Although photographers in other specialties have adopted bare-bulb
techniques, the lack of amodeling light has made a bare flash tube
hard to use for portraiture. In the mid-70s I was looking for a
new lighting technique. I decided to try a bare flash tube as my
key light source. I used the same battery powered flash unit that
I used when photographing weddings. I mounted the strobe head on
a light stand and rigged up a makeshift modeling light using a 100
watt bulb. I liked the bare-bulb effect, but after using it a few
times, I gave it up. Setting it up was too much trouble.
I came back to bare-bulb portraiture with the introduction of a
modeling light attachment for the LiteLight lamp head. The LiteLight
is a lightweight lamp head that is available for most power packs.
It is a pencil light that goes quite a few steps further than most
pencil lights. The brain child of LiteLight president John J. Morgan,
the LiteLight is a lighting system which is built around the LiteLight
head and a variety of reflectors, each including its own modeling
light system. The bare-bulb modeling light attachment, which is
shown in the first photograph is the latest addition to LiteLight's
assortment of modeling light systems.
There are several possible applications for a bare bulb in a portrait
lighting set up. First, a single bare bulb can be used as the main
light source. If no other lights or reflectors are used, light bouncing
around the studio from the bare flash tube acts as a fill. Whether
it is adequate or not depends on room size and wall color. In a
large room with dark walls, the amount of fill will be negligible.
In a smaller room with white or light colored walls, one bare flash
tube may be the only light source you will need. However, bare-bulb
photography comes into its own when one or more reflectors are added.
The photographs that follow show what to expect as you move reflectors
and bare flash tubes from one position to another.
I set my LiteLight head up as the main light source. I positioned
two reflectors around it. and added a background and hair lights
as shown in the first diagram. Photograph #2 was made using this
light set up. The shadows in this photograph are very distinct but,
even though they are dark, you can see detail in even the deepest
shadows. The only fill light sources were my rather small studio's
light colored walls.
I wanted more detail in the shadow on the left side of my model's
face. I moved one of my reflectors to the position shown in the
second diagram and made photograph #3.
Next, I tried my bare bulb as a hair light. I positioned it behind
my subject and adjusted its intensity until it matched the intensity
of the light that illuminated the upper part of her hair. The bare
bulb also illuminated my dark brown muslin background, making a
separate background light unnecessary. I used a Larson Starfish
as my main light source. I placed a reflector to my subject's left,
as a fill. This lighting set up is shown in the third diagram. I
made the fourth photograph with this set up.
Next, I tried using two bare flash tubes, one as the key light and
the second as a hair light. The fourth diagram shows this lighting
set-up. You change the effect of the hair lights by varying their
intensity. However, both should be metered and adjusted until they
are as close in intensity to each other as possible. I started by
matching the intensity of my hair lights to the intensity of the
key light. I increased its intensity incrementally until both hair
lights read approximately two stops more than the key light and
made my final photograph.
A bare flash tube is a versatile photographic tool. Add one or more
reflectors and the possibilities are almost endless. Switch reflector
fabrics for even more variety in lighting effects.
For more information about the LiteLight system of lamp heads, reflectors
and modeling light systems contact John J. Morgan at LiteLight,
2781 Carolyn Dr., Smyrna, GA 30080; (770) 384-0626; e-mail, strobelite@mindspring.com
or log on to the LiteLight web site at www.litelight.net.
J.J. Allen operates Flair Photographic, an on location portrait
service in Hapeville, GA. He is a long time contributor to Rangefinder.
He is the author of Posing and Lighting Techniques for Studio Portrait
Photography which is scheduled for publication by Amherst Media
in September. For information, contact J.J. by e-mail at jjaflair@worldnet.att.net.
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