CASE STUDY

Photographer:    Andrew Kung/Andrew Kung Group

Assist/BTS:    Rachel Lutz/Andrew Kung Group

Category:   Indoor Punchy Athletic Photoshoot Case Study

Athletic photos can be shot in a variety of ways but typically, it is recommended that the images display a number of key characteristics:

1) Subjects need to show dimension (not flat lighting)

2) Subjects should have more specular highlights

3) Overall image should be dynamic or convey movement

4) Shot angles are typically dead on or from a lower angle to display the subject in a more heroic manner

3 LIGHT SETUP

How To Setup Lighting For Punchy Athletic Photography

EQUIPMENT USED

(ITEMS ARE LINKED BELOW)

PROFOTO PRO HEAD PLUS

PROFOTO WHITE SOFTLIGHT BEAUTY DISH REFLECTOR 20.5″

PROFOTO PRO HEAD PLUS

PHOTEK SOFTLIGHTER II UMBRELLA WHITE 46″

PHOTEK SOFTLIGHTER II UMBRELLA WHITE 60″

IMPACT C-STAND CHROME 10.75′

IMPACT C-STAND EXTENSION GRIP ARM 40″

FLASHPOINT PRO AIR CUSHIONED HEAVY DUTY LIGHT STAND (BLACK, 13′)

PROFOTO D4 GENERATOR

FLASHPOINT SADDLE SANDBAG BLACK (18LB CAPACITY)

For this shoot, I used three Profoto Heads to create a symmetrical lighting setup to frame my subjects. I wanted to define my subjects with two edge lights, on the left and right and slightly behind them in order to create highlights that would fall on the left and right edge of the models; very typical in athletic photography. My edge lights are also serving to add some light to the background so that I do not have to add background lights. I then used a very soft front fill light, placed directly in the center to fill in some shadows.

Remember, it is good to create enough contrast with your highlights and shadows to show definition and dimension in muscle tone.

Things to watch out for:

1) Your front fill light should be used with a softer diffuser and the power should be at least 1 or 2 stops below your edge lights; if not you’ll end up with a very flat image. What you want to create is a darker center strip in the middle of your subjects so there is more dimension to the image.

2) Your edge lights should remain slightly behind the plane of your subjects. This is so that the shadows (nose, cheeks, etc.) created by these edge lights are shorter and not too distracting. This will also help you control the amount of highlight spread on your subjects so that it is not too wide as opposed to placing them directly on the side of your models.

3) Becareful of light flare from your edge lights that might compromise your image. For this setup, I placed them in a sweet spot to avoid any flare. If you have access to grids, feel free to use them on your edge lights at your discretion (keep in mind, this will affect your light output and spill on the background).

ALTERNATE LIGHTING SETUP

EQUIPMENT USED

(ITEMS ARE LINKED BELOW)

 PROFOTO PRO HEAD PLUS

PHOTEK SOFTLIGHTER II UMBRELLA WHITE 46″

PROFOTO PRO HEAD PLUS

PHOTEK SOFTLIGHTER II UMBRELLA WHITE 60″

PROFOTO PRO HEAD PLUS

PROFOTO WHITE SOFTLIGHT BEAUTY DISH REFLECTOR 20.5″

IMPACT CHROME C-STAND KIT

IMPACT C-STAND EXTENSION GRIP ARM 40″

FLASHPOINT PRO AIR CUSHIONED HEAVY DUTY LIGHT STAND (BLACK, 13′)

PROFOTO D4 GENERATOR

FLASHPOINT SADDLE SANDBAG BLACK (18LB CAPACITY)

As a simple alternative to the 3 light lighting style above, you can augment the original setup with an asymmetrical setup by setting your light on camera left at a higher power to act as the key. The front fill light would then be set about 2-3 stops lower than the key and the right rear light would be dialed down as well, to serve as a soft edge light. Overall, it will still fit well with the symmetrical lighting style displayed above but will give you some options to add some interest to the images with slightly more shadowing on the subject and resulting in a more dramatic image.

For a more economical and affordable lighting setup, you can also consider these great alternatives here.

Want to try out this setup? Rent this setup for your next athletic photoshoot!

SPECIAL THANKS:

Our Models: Heather Bilyeu, Molly Jett, Abby McCowan

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