I can never decide if I love the print results of ‘professional’ studio lighting or of ‘simple’ lighting…

The first portrait is shot using umbrellas and flash, and the second is shot using either a cheap floor lamp or a basic ring light with no diffuser/reflectors.

As much as I love the moody lighting and dark shadows that come with more elaborate light setups, I can’t pretend I don’t love the softness and ease of simpler lighting.

The Blessed Shadows portrait studio is now a lot bigger, but from the years of having to work within very tight studio space (where elaborate setups created tripping and broken light hazards) I got used to the speed that using a floor lamp and occasionally a ring light provided.

📸

What’s your favorite lighting setup in the studio?

Do you prefer flashguns and umbrellas, ring lights, or a simple floor lamp?