The white satin and nylon panels are the best kept lighting secret in the fashion and glamour photography business. In this lighting tutorial, I will teach you how I use the white satin panel to create a low-key lighting fashion shoot. This fashion shoot is for two local designers, Madina Vadache and Robert Whaley Designs. The lighting setup works equally well for the creative editorial portrait photographer.
My designer friend Dr. Robert Whaley asked me to photography four of his designs. The models are from Heffner Model Management in Seattle. The first model, Elina Ivanova, was on ‘America’s Next Top Model’. These 5 images easily became a favorite on several photography websites. I was kinda dumb-founded by all the requests for the lighting diagrams, so here they are.
Elina Ivanova satin panel low-key fashion lighting
This is a very simple and basic low-key lighting setup. The white satin panel is on the right and the strobe head is placed fairly close to the fabric. Be careful to not catch the fabric on fire, modeling lights get REALLY HOT.
On my left side I placed a second 5′ x 8′ white satin panel to act as a fill-reflector. Dark dresses such as this dress need a bit of kicker fill. For a white wedding dress you may not even need a fill reflector.
As you will notice in the lighting diagram, the strobe head is placed directly to the side of the model….and she is facing towards the light.
Try experimenting by moving the strobe head to the left or right of the panel to create a Rembrandt (triangle of light below the eye socket). With this simple lighting setup I can create a side-light or a Rembrandt lighting pattern just by moving the strobe head a few feet across the white satin panel……in seconds…..and no need to re-meter the lights!
Contrast ratios are easily controlled by the second white satin panel to the camera left. Additionally, we can control the size of the light on the model by moving the right-side strobe head further or closer to the white satin panel. Try doing that with a softbox!The lighting diagram is for the above image and the image below.
Elina Ivanova satin panel low-key fashion lighting diagram
Elina Ivanova 2 satin panel low-key fashion lighting diagram
The next three images of the white dresses, are photographed with the exact same lighting pattern…with the exception of the white satin panel fill. The dresses being white, do not require any additional fill light. A simple one light and white satin panel lighting setup.
This was a shoot for designer Madina Vadache featuring three of her dresses on two models from Heffner Model Management.
In case you are wondering what color background I used, it is called “Thunder Gray”, available as seamless paper by Savage. I use a small swatch booklet of Savage paper samples and had Home Depot match the paint….much cheaper than constantly replacing paper. The “wall” I use is commonly referred to as a cyclorama or “cyc wall”, similar to what skateboarders use. It is possible to build one using inexpensive materials from the local hardware store, about $600 plus 20 hours labor.
Heffner Model Management - satin panel low-key fashion lighting
Heffner Model Management2 - satin panel low-key fashion lighting
Heffner Model Management3 - satin panel low-key fashion lighting
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6 Comments
Nice Images here. I like the lower shoot angle here on these last couple makes the model look very tall. I love this flowy dress in the last shot. That would look fabulous in some of the underwater shoots that I do. I am not sure about spending 20 hours building the background but i do like the color of the background. “Thunder Grey” I will have to remember that one.
Good article Thorsten,and superb images!!!
Outstanding lighting. Thanks for the diagram and detailed explanation of the lighting setup.
Beautiful lighting – one question – what material do you use for these panels? Is it different than ripstop nylon?
Sorry, I’ve found the answer in another of your tutorials. Great info – thanks a lot for sharing.
Great technique and execution, gorgeous results. Nicely done. Thanks for sharing.
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