Shooting continuous lighting is different than shooting with strobe lighting. From professional advertising photographers to wedding photographers, strobe lighting is the preferred choice for dependability and ease of use. Usually non-professional photographers get their start with buying cameras with built-in flash. Later as they grow into their craft, they most likely will shift depending on the type of photography they go into buy portable flashes or studio strobes. Fashion photographers are the one professional group that enjoy the use both continuous and strobe lighting for their still shoots.
Male Boxer ©Frank Marchese
Movie studios use a continuous light source system. If you see any behind the scenes look at a movie being made you will see these “hot lights” on the set. Back in the days of old Hollywood, contract stars had their glamour publicity shots photographed this way often with large format cameras. Back in the 30′s George Hurell made the Hollywood glamour portrait famous. These striking black and white photos made dramatic by the use of how Mr. Hurell shaped his light. Shadows fell it just the right spots shaping angular faces, bringing sparkle to fixed eyes that stared at you.
So what advantages do these lights have over strobes? For one unlike strobe you get to see the shape of your light on your subject. And you can shoot fast without the wait time a strobe needs to recharge. With ARRI lighting and fluorescent tubes making a comeback with advertising photographers, it might be worth the time for you to experiment with this type of lighting. These lights are expensive. Bulbs are not cheap. The equipment is heavy and cumbersome. But depending on where you live rental units are available. Who knows, continuous lighting just might add a new dimension to your photographs?
