Standard set-up

The standard set-up for professional lighting a portrait sitting is as follow:

• The camera is always in front of the model, more or less in a direct line.
• You will have a main light and fill light.
• The main light is at approximately 45 degrees to the front of the model.
• The fill light is opposite the main light and is much softer and usually lower to the ground.
• The main light is at a height so that when it is angled at 45 degrees downward, the light falls on the model's face.

 
This is a typical set-up for a glamour or artistic portrait.

This is a typical set-up for a standard head shot portrait
















This is a typical set-up for a group shot