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Use Open Source Software To Emulate Every Possible Lighting

Mar 7, 2012 by Udi Tirosh Add Comment

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One of the ways to understand how light works in photographs is to do basic exercises. We did one way by creating the portrait lighting cheat sheet that shows how positioning a single light effect a portrait, others have done similar stuff with an egg.

Photographer Pat David had another idea. Using a CC-BY 3D scan by Infinite Realities and an open source 3D modeling software called Blender 3D (Blender is darn near real rendering engine, it can even mimic shaped bokeh), he started to play with positioning various light sourced around the scanned head.

Use Open Source Software To Emulate Every Possible Lighting

First, though, he had to make sure the software was not bluffing, here is a comparison of a 3D render vs. a real life picture with the same “light sources”.

Use Open Source Software To Emulate Every Possible Lighting

Now that the software was “proven” to work Pat started to play:

Clam shell light:

Use Open Source Software To Emulate Every Possible Lighting

Ring Flash

Use Open Source Software To Emulate Every Possible Lighting

And best of all, insane maps of sotfbox surrounding the subject at 5 degrees increments (level with subject and 60 degrees above at the top of the post).

Use Open Source Software To Emulate Every Possible Lighting

Pat left the Blender file on his blog for anyone who wants to experiment.

[Visualize Photography Lighting Setups in Blender]

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Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: Cheat Sheets

Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.net

About Udi Tirosh

Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

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Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.netUdi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

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John Aldred: from diyphotography.netJohn Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

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