Studio lighting for different skin tones

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hepburn

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Hi,

I am planning to photograph a jamaican friend (female) and wondered if anyone had some useful advice applicable to darker skin tones?

I'm planning to take just an upper body composition, using up to 3 lights plus reflectors as needed. For background I was thinking white hi-key.
 
I shouldn't reply to this because some numpty is bound to acuse me of being racist when I say that black people have different photographic needs...

Quite a lot of black people have very oily skin. Everyone needs matt makeup to avoid the problems this causes, but if your model has oily skin then the makeup becomes very important.

If she has high cheekbones then I would try a combination of hard and soft lighting to accentuate the cheekbones - that's a honeycombed light or snooted light immediately in front of the centre (approx) of the largest softbox you have, experiment with the height and angle of the head, but expect that it will need to be pretty high to maximise the effect.

Then a reflector for fill, immediately below the camera.

A white background may work, but black is well worth trying too, combined with a reflective umbrella above/behind as hairlight and to separate the dark hair from the dark background. West Indian hair can vary a lot but be prepared to need a lot of power on the hairlight if she has afro hair.

Another thing you could try is rimlighting, I'll have a look and see if I can find an example.

Hope this helps
 
This isn't the ringlighting example I had in mind but it may help

And this is a more extreme rimlighting example

And this is a softlit example, without the hard lighting addition I suggest above. All are the same model
 
Gary

I have a two-light, home studio kit and love the effect you've created in the second link (photo_id=2735491). I would like to recreate the lighting effect you've used here and will have a go over the next couple of days, I would appreciate your advice on how to position my lights relative to the camera and model. (I have one softbox and one umberella with the kit)
Thanks
 
Neil,

As it happens I explained that particular shot here. As you can see, each softbox is at the side of and behind the model - simple!

The only thing to note is that the left facing one is smaller than the other, this is to avoid light from it lighting the models' head. If you don't have a softbox/lighting stand of the same size you simply reduce the height with a black bin liner, blackwrap or a piece of black card.
Hope this helps.
 
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