Thank you to Digital Photographer Magazine for inviting me to write the pro-column for the past three months. My portrait sitting with actor James Purefoy is the topic of my final piece for the magazine.

Transcript below.

Dramatic lighting may seem a difficult concept. However, with a few lighting tools you can make the magic happen. Preferring this style of lighting for my actors headshots, dramatic lighting can make your photography jump off the page.

Actor James Purefoy is a remarkable stage and screen presence. From jousting Heath Ledger in 2001’s A Knight’s Tale to manipulating a cult of serial killers in Fox’s The Following, James has appeared in a wider range of film, television and theatre productions more than the lion’s share of his contemporaries. I was thrilled James accepted my invitation to sit for a portrait at the London Studio.

Lighting wise to achieve these shots you will need a soft box, preferably Octa with a grid mounted. A grid is honeycomb modifier that you place directly over the Octa Softbox. The pattern restricts the light, creating a narrower beam. Resulting in hard and harsh lighting which brings out all the detail of the face. Your second modifier the snoot is a collapsible cylinder, think of a snoot as a spotlight effect.

Position the snoot behind the subject around 240 degree angle, diagonally pointing at the back of your subjects head. Then place the soft box, grid mounted at the opposite angle roughly 60 degree’s. Meter the main light your soft box to F7.1, with the snoot metered on the fly, meaning if its too bright turn it down, or too dark turn it up. This will separate your subject from the black backdrop and create a subtle highlight.

My favourite subjects have always been actors, trained to take complex direction and work to camera. I encourage you to attempt your own actors headshot session with this lighting setup. Seeking out a subject using casting websites, such as Star Now, Backstage or even Facebook.