For this lesson, we decided to do a seated head-and-shoulders portrait in our studio. First, we set up a Photoflex BackDrop Support Kit with a 10x20' Blue Marbled BackDrop and placed a chair a couple of feet in front of it.

One Light and a Backdrop
We then set up an OctoDome nxt Kit to the right of our subject, turned it on and angled it directly at our subject (figures 1 & 2).

Once the light looked good to us, we powered up the camera, made some manual adjustments for optimal capture and took a shot.

Right off the bat, our portrait was looking pretty good. With just one light and a backdrop, we have a very classic-looking portrait. Notice the soft quality of light as it wraps around the face -- very much the way it would in a window-lit room.

Feathering the Light
The angle of your soft box will also determine how the light will fall across the face. In our first result, the soft box was angled directly at our subject. In this next shot, we decided to feather the light somewhat by angling the light directly in front of our subject. Let's see what effect this adjustment makes on our shot (figures 4 & 5).

Our next capture reveals that by feathering the light just slightly ahead of our subject, that we are able to create more of a wrap-around lighting across the face. And since we have angled the soft box somewhat away from the background, notice how it has become slightly darker.

It's a subtle change, but also a good example of how you can go about fine-tuning your lighting.

Comparison
Let's look at the two images cropped side by side. Here you can clearly see how the soft box in the feathered position reaches further across our subject than in the direct position.

See how the shadow areas in the face are lighter in the feathered version? By lightening the shadows, we are effectively reducing the contrast. Also notice how the light picks up more details of the left side of her hair and jacket.

Adding Grids
Let's say you liked the lighting on your subject, but that you wanted the background to be significantly darker. What would you do? You could move the background back a few feet, but that's only assuming you have the space to do so.

The easiest way to cut down on the light hitting the background is by training the light forward through the use of Grids. Here, we kept the soft box in the same feathered position and simply added octagonal Grids to the face of the OctoDome (figures 8 & 9).

In our next result shot, you can see what a difference these Grids have made. The light on our subject is still soft and diffused, but now the background is dramatically darker. Grids are essentially lighting accessories that give you even more control with respect to where you want your light to go.

Reflecting Light Into Shadows
Next, we decided to bounce some of the light from the soft box into the shadow areas of our subject's face, using a Photoflex MultiDisc. The nice thing about the MultiDisc is that there are 5 combinations to choose from: White, Silver, Soft Gold, Gold and Translucent (for when you want to diffuse light as opposed to reflecting it).

First, we started off with the White side facing the model. We attached the MultiDisc to a LiteDisc Holder and LiteStand and positioned it approximately 2 feet from the model on the left side. Once the reflection looked good to us, we took another shot (figures 11, 12 & 13).

As you can see, the White side of the MultiDisc really filled in the shadows on the left side of our model's face. Reflectors can be a relatively simple and inexpensive way to help control your light levels and overall contrast. And MultiDiscs are even more versatile since they have 4 different reflective options (and 1 diffusive option.)

Next, we decided to use the Silver side of the MultiDisc to see how that would compare to the White side. Once it was in place, we took another shot (figures 14 & 15).

In this result, the Silver side is able to reflect more light than the White side, and the shadows are lightened even further. Note that the neutral color of the Silver reflection is the same as it is with the white, and that the main difference here has to do with the reflection being brighter.

Next, we decided to try and warm up the skin tones a bit using the Soft Gold side. Once it was in place, we took another shot (figures 16 & 17).

The difference in this result is subtle, but if you look closely, you'll see that the skin and hair on the left side of our subject's face is definitely warmer than in the previous shot. It's good to experiment with different reflectors when shooting portraits, as different people's skin tones will require different reflectors.

Finally, we switched to the Gold side of the MultiDisc and took another shot (figures 18 & 19).

As is evident from the result, the Gold side really warms up the feel of the shot. It's almost as if our subject is sitting close to a fireplace -- a very warm, inviting feel to the shot.

Remember, though, none of these reflective options should be taken as the "right" one. The one you will choose ultimately comes down to a matter of personal preference. But as you can see from these examples, it's good to know the kind of options you have for reflecting light.

Comparisons
Let's take a look now at all of the reflective results so far. Remember that you can click on any image for an enlarged view (figure 20).

Creating Light Ratios Through Reflective Distances
Now that we've examined the various types of reflectors you can use in portraits, let's look at how you can create lighting ratios through reflective distances.

For this next series of shots, we chose to use the Soft Gold side of the MultiDisc, as we liked the subtle warmth it bounced on the shadow side of the face. For the first shot, we placed the LiteDisc approximately two feet from our subject's face and took a shot (figures 21 & 22).

With the reflector so close to the model's face, we're close to achieving a 1:1 lighting ratio here. However, in order for the ratio to be precisely 1:1, both light sources (the OctoDome and the MultiDisc) would need to be putting out the same amount of power. Because of the Inverse-square law, which essentially states that light gradually loses its intensity as it moves through space, the light reflected from the MultiDisc will not be as bright as the light projected from the OctoDome.

So realistically, we're looking at a ratio that falls somewhere between 1:1 and 2:1. For more information about lighting ratios, check out the following lesson on Web Photo School:

Basic Strobe Use With StarFlash LiteDome Kit

Next, we moved the MultiDisc back about two feet and took another shot (figures 23 & 24).

With the MultiDisc four feet away, the lighting ratio looks very good here. There's a natural quality to the overall lighting and the viewer can make out the subject's features very easily. The ratio of this shot would probably fall somewhere between 2:1 and 3:1.

Finally, we moved the MultiDisc back six feet from our subject and took a shot (figures 25 & 26).

In this result, the MultiDisc is placed far enough away that its effect on the shadow areas is significantly reduced. Remember that light falls off exponentially, so that the difference in light output between four and six feet is greater than it is between two and four feet. Again, you can see how minor positioning changes to your gear can have a substantial effect on your overall lighting. The ratio of this shot would probably fall somewhere between 3:1 and 4:1.

Comparisons
In the result shots lined up below, you can clearly see how the positioning of the MultiDisc reflector has a big impact on the overall lighting of the shot (figure 27).

The great thing about using continuous lights and reflectors like these is that what you see is what you get. Coupled with the knowledge of how to control and modify light, you are now free to create beautiful, custom portraits or fashion shots.

As always, remember to experiment and have fun!