When it comes to newborn photography, one of the most critical factors to consider is lighting. When photographing newborns, you must understand and master the light. Studio light for newborn photography offers consistent illumination and eliminates your worry about the weather. In this article, we will explore the benefits of using it to shoot newborns and offers some common setups for you to get ideal effects.
Why to use studio light for newborn photography?
Compared to natural lighting that is hard to control and cannot offer consistent illumination, studio light features the following advantages in newborn photography.
It is flexible and mobile. Its intensity can be readily changed and moved about the studio to provide the desired lighting effect.
Furthermore, regardless of the weather, you may shoot newborns at any time of day. On wet or dark days, for example, you can utilize the studio light. You will be able to stick to your specified timetable and prevent any unwanted shocks this way.
Consistency is essential in newborn photography, and artificial light helps you to have consistent lighting in all of your shots. A consistent approach, style, and message in your portfolio will attract consumers and offer them a good reason to pick you for their newborn image shoot.
There is less tension. You can concentrate on the baby's comfort, posing, or chatting with parents because you know what the light will look like. Simultaneously, good studio lighting will help you conserve energy, improve each frame, and raise your confidence.
What studio light setup for newborn photography can you use?
There are various setups that you can use for photographing newborns. The key is to find the one that can help you achieving the target lighting. Below we list several commonly used setups for you.
Simple one light setup
- Classic 45-degree light
This is the most fundamental setup that novice photographers begin with. Place the studio light for newborn photography at a 45-degree angle in front of the model. Put it as near to the subject as you can without it being in the frame.
As predicted, there is some nose shadow on the side of the face that is not facing the light source. There's also a drop-off in the shadows on the other side of the neck and shoulder. A better strategy would be to have the light come in from a higher position. This will result in softer shadows.
Two lights setup
- Soft side lighting and fill
This is great for a small or large studio. It uses two studio lights for baby photography with reflectors, one on each side of the model. When the lights are turned away from the model, they reflect off the nearby studio walls, providing newborn photography lighting that is soft and pleasing.
This setup is really simple and uses affordable modifiers. It is also easily customizable based on your desired look. You may experiment with different effects by adjusting the position of the lights or your model.
Three point lighting setup
- Key, fill and back lights
The key light casts the most light on your subject or the subject's face. It is placed 45 degrees to the right of the newborn.
The fill light eliminates the shadows cast by the key light. This studio light for newborn photography should be 45 degrees to your subject's left.
Back light illuminates either the surroundings or the back of someone's head. It is positioned around 45 degrees behind the subject.
For the intensity, make sure your key light is brighter than your fill light. A one to three stop differential often proves sufficient. However, if you think the exposure is still incorrect, feel free to go beyond those boundaries. Finally, make sure your backlight is either as bright as or slightly dimmer than the fill light. The value you use can often be determined by your subject's hair color. If your model has dark hair, you may need to increase the power more than if she has blonde hair.
Using studio lighting kit for newborn photography to get more flexibility
It is often the case that you need more lighting equipment to help set up the newborn photography studio. Besides artificial light for newborn photography, modifiers and photography accessories are also needed.
For example, when you use the COLBOR CL220 for newborn photography, you can get the following gears in the package and need some other equipment to build the kit.
- CL220 fixture: LED light for newborn photographys that offers constant 220W output at each color temperature
- Reflector: A type of modifier to guide the light in a certain direction by channeling it at an angle
- COB cover: To protect the COB LED beads
- Adapter & cable: Help connect the light to the power mains when the CL220 is used indoor
- NATO expansion bar: Work to receiver photography gears and combine two CL220 models together if needed
- Carrying bag: Store and protect the studio light for newborn photography and accessories
- V mount battery: Offer power to the CL220 when taking outdoor photography
- V mount battery plate: Help mount the battery on the light fixture
- Light stand: To hold the CL220 and place it at ant height you want
- Backdrop: A surface behind the newborn to provide clean background