Here are three lighting set-ups from a personal branding shoot in Los Angeles with the brilliant and bad ass Justine Musk.

We shot this first set with 2 strobes, using a similar set-up I first demo’d in Gorgeous 2-Strobe Set-up.

The main light with octobox is raised above head level and just to my right. Back light directly opposite angled just slightly toward camera. Here’s a diagram of set up #1:

Then we switched to the seamless studio background (Dove Grey, my fav), keeping mostly the same lighting set-up above for the first shot below. Note that we simply inched the back light further out to my left here so that it created an edge light on the right side of her face, arm and body. Here it is SOOC…

Here’s a diagram of set up #2:

Now, did you ever want to create that hazy soft ethereal look?

Here’s how to do it: We added a third strobe. My assistant stood just a few feet to my left and slightly in front of me, holding a strobe pointed directly into my lens. Yes, it was slightly blinding to my eyes – ha! – but I really love the soft haze and color that resulted.

Here it is SOOC with only sharpening added…

My assistant played around varying the angle of the strobe to get more and less light into my lens, thus varying the color/light effects you see above.

Diagram of set up #3:

There ya go  – easy, fun, beautiful lighting.

Flattering light doesn’t need to be complicated – try it out and have fun!

xo, Christa

Lighting diagrams created at sylights.com.