# The ONE-LIGHT PORTRAIT Challenge



## kundalini

Inspired by an article in this month's issue of Rangerfinder magazine, I've decided to challenge myself to do some portraiture with a single light source.

The idea is to use only one light source, the source is insignificant. However, it can be bounced, diffused, redirected, flagged, bent, mirrored or whatever can be thought of doing with that single source. This challenge is open to *ALL*. If you participate, and I encourage it, please be as descriptive as possible AND give some details of what you've done to accomplish the shot.

So for my first attempt, I'll try the hardest of them all....... natural light. That's right, I said it. It's bloody difficult not to be able to place you strobe exactly where you want it and have to rely on an unforgiving star out there in the galaxy. A lot of people just starting out will not have a sh!tload of lighting equipment and we all have to start somewhere.


Just the facts ma'am.....
D700 with 85mm Nikkor f/1.8
ISO - 250
Aperture - f/1.8
Shutterspeed - 1/80s
(cheat sheet, I did use a hand held light meter and these were the settings)

The scenario.....
Shot indoors at ~2:00 in the afternoon with a 5' wide x 4' high North facing window camera right. On camer left, I used my Lastolite Trigrip with a silver/white banded cover. The silver/white alternate throughout and each band is 1/16" wide. I really like this cover because you get some of the softness of a white reflector plus some of the specularity of the silver. It's kinda like when Goldilocks gets in Baby Bear's bed. I also used an el cheapo 5n1 Adorama reflector with the silver cover for a hair/hat light, even though I think I missed the mark on it's angle.


The shot (going for a bit of short lighting) .....






The setup.....




The distances.....
Camera to subject - 7'
Subject to background - 4 1/2'
Subject to light source - 4 1/2'
Subject to camera left reflector - 2'
Subject to highlight reflector - 3 1/2'


I'm hoping this can be a fun thread, but more importantly a learning thread. I welcome all comments, critiques and advice for improvement. For the a$$wipes out there in TPF land, please keep the snark to a minimum for anybody else that decides to join in the fun. I can take your best jabs, but be forewarned, I'm quite capable of dishing it out just as well.


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## Robin_Usagani

Giant soft box left, silver reflector right, and home made silver reflector bottom (large board with glued aluminum foil on one side) in front of gray seamless.  5DIII, 135L, f/6.3, 1/160, ISO100.


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## kundalini

You know Robin, a lot of people might ***** and moan about the hair covering the eyes, but they speak volumes to me for the unimpressionable values of a child for others opinion.

Thanks for sharing.


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## EIngerson

Playing in a dark parking garage. Single speedlight from the right (rested on the back of an SUV).5D MK III 1/20th ISO 400, F5.6. Ugliest model on TPF. 




Self by Ingerson Photo, on Flickr


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## EIngerson

Kundalini, I like your set up. I would like to see what yours looks like with everything the same but shot at F4.


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## kundalini

EIngerson said:


> Playing in a dark parking garage. Single speedlight from the right (rested on the back of an SUV).5D MK III 1/20th ISO 400, F5.6. Ugliest model on TPF.


Sorry to disappoint dude, but I seen much worse mugs on this site than yours.   

See that light in the far distance and how it is catching a nice hightlight on the right side of your head?  I think if your camera position had been a step and a half to two steps camera left, it probably would have been out of the frame and given an enhanced hightlight.  You're not quite there, but pretty damn close to a Rembrandt lighting pattern.


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## kathyt

That is a nice big a** window kundalini. You are disqualified.


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## EIngerson

kundalini said:


> EIngerson said:
> 
> 
> 
> Playing in a dark parking garage. Single speedlight from the right (rested on the back of an SUV).5D MK III 1/20th ISO 400, F5.6. Ugliest model on TPF.
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry to disappoint dude, but I seen much worse mugs on this site than yours.
> 
> See that light in the far distance and how it is catching a nice hightlight on the right side of your head?  I think if your camera position had been a step and a half to two steps camera left, it probably would have been out of the frame and given an enhanced hightlight.  You're not quite there, but pretty damn close to a Rembrandt lighting pattern.
Click to expand...


LOL,. Thanks. I might go back there with stands and tripods to play around some more. I had a bunch of cool ideas. I have to say we were limited to what fit in our hands on this one. Cool thread though. I'll definitely be back.


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## kundalini

EIngerson said:


> Kundalini, I like your set up. I would like to see what yours looks like with everything the same but shot at F4.


I normally shoot selfies at f/8 to f/11, but I went off the meter reading.  I should have upped the ISO to get closer to that.  The OOF forearm and coffee cup bugs me a bit, but I gotta say that I pretty much nailed the forward eye in focus at f/1.8.  That made me happy!   

This was my focus point.....


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## kundalini

kathythorson said:


> That is a nice big a** window kundalini. You are disqualified.


Que?  It's one light source.  Just happens to be a BIG A$$ light source.


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## Robin_Usagani

This should qualify.  5D2, Sigma 85, ISO1600, f/3.2.  This is before I clone out the light post.  So yeah.. that is the setup.  Just one speedlite.  Light was reflected by the umbrella.


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## kundalini

Dammit Robin, I was going to try and avoid the archives, but you made me do it.


SB800 bungee corded up in the ribs of the reflective brolly.







.​


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## EIngerson

Okay, both of those are awesome and I am going to copy-cat the crap out of them. lol.


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## Robin_Usagani

kundalini said:


> Dammit Robin, I was going to try and avoid the archives, but you made me do it.


My bad..  I will post new ones .  Most of my work is with SUN + 1 light so it doesnt count .


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## kundalini

Robin_Usagani said:


> My bad.. I will post new ones . Most of my work is with SUN + 1 light so it doesnt count .


There is a shot in the article I referred to that actually uses the sunlight through a window as a blown out background.  The photographer used side lighting for his subject so it seems to me that is not a cheat.  It's on page 71 of the article in the upper left of the digital copy of the magazine.  It's on my To Do list.

For reference.....
*Rangefinder - January 2013*


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## Mully




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## Mully

^^^^^^ Don't know why I have 2 copies


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## kundalini

Mully said:


> View attachment 33755



Care to elaborate on your setup?  That was part of the homework assignment.  Did your dog get to it first?


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## Vtec44




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## ralphh

I very rarely use lights - I'm more of a natural light person (yes I know round here that's often shorthand for noob lol).

Ended up selling the studio lights recently as I just never use them, plus the only room I had that was empty enough is now baby bedroom 

This was one large softbox camera right






I quite like it, but not 100% happy - there's almost zero catchlights in her eyes for a start...


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## jowensphoto

New to OCF, so I was pretty OK with this shot:


Bare speedlight at the little boy's 2 o'clock. Ambient light was large window behind me, about 45 degrees camera left.


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## CA_




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## runnah

I'll play. Natural light on both.


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## DiskoJoe

I did all three of these shots with natural light. I was sitting in front of a window with a white curtain around midday and the sun was beaming through and I overexposed the shot a bit to bleed out the design on the fabric. There is actually different colored squiggles on the fabric. 




Joe triptych by DiskoJoe, on Flickr


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## kundalini

I did a similar shot a few years ago and was never really happy with it, so why not revisit? Still not head-over-heels with this attempt, but it is miles ahead from the other one.


D700 with Nikkor 50mm f/1.8
Metered with Sekonic L-358 Flash Meter
ISO - 250
Aperture - f/8
Shutterspeed - 1/250s

*The Celestial Beam







*​The setup.....
One PCB White Lightning X1600 with a 10° honeycomb grid
One silver reflector to catch the back
One silver reflector for Hair light
One white reflector to bring up the chin shadow




​The distances......
Camera to subject - 6 1/2'
Main light to subject 8'
Subject to background - 4'
Subject to body reflector - 2'
Subject to hair reflector - 3 1/2'
Subject to under reflector - 3'
The solo light stand was my X marks the spot, with the small dumbell on the floor. The knurled bit at the top of the stand was my focal point for my camera side eye. 


Thanks for looking.


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## Derrel

I seldom use just one light...I usually like a hairlight and a background light. But here's a ONE-lighter that I did a while back.



_This is a single Speedotron Brown Line M11 light unit fired through a Lastolite 40 inch Umbrella Box which I positioned to deliver some catchlighting in the eyes and a fairly broad shadow on the off side. There is 'some' hint of fill from a 4x6 foot white reflective LightForm P22 panel on a rolling stand, but the amount of fill-in is very minimal because the reflector is at least five feet away from the subject. The shadowed side of the face maintains nice dimensional clues which were lost when I moved the reflector closer,to approximately three feet off to the side. I didn't like the shots I made later, when the reflector was moved closer to three feet. The Canon "flash" white balance was used,and it's a good match for this umbrella and uncoated flashtube. This image is exactly As-Shot using baseline Auto RAW conversion in ACR with just USM and re-sizing for the web.In this shot,the umbrella is lighting the paper just a tiny bit; I shot this on the short axis of my garage,and didn't use a backlight: I wish I would have used a light to make the backdrop whiter,or shot with the backdrop farther away from the umbrella for at least a medium gray,or darker, backdrop color in the final image. Here's the URL for this umbrella __[url]http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=254455&is=REG&addedTroughType=search_[/URL]​


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## LaFoto

Working with lights (reflectors, whatever) is totally beyond me, so I can't really join in on the challenge (as in: going out to create a photo for this thread as opposed to finding one that meets the idea in the "big box"), but may I post this one here? It is fairly recent (taken on 29 December last year), and it has one light source only! Please!?


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## Thayli

This was taken about six months ago and became an instant favorite of mine. It was taken with my old Olympus E-20 that had incredibly bad low light performance, and I ended up dismantling the 120w floodlight from the side of house and shoving it in the poor girls face, literally just out of shot. Between the heat and the blinding light, its a wonder she ever posed for me again.

So anyway, a $10 security floodlight from home depot just to the slightly high left (shes looking directly at it) and thats it. No reflectors or anything else.


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## Tee

Elinchrom 53" Midi Octa, camera right.  200mm, f/8 at 1/200 sec, ISO 200




30 degree grid, camera left.  95mm, f/8, 1/200 sec, ISO 200


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## Robin_Usagani

Damn kundalini.  Pretty ripped!


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## jake337

Sb600 fired through a 46in umbrella about 45-deg camera-right just above their heads.


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## bvengence

Robin_Usagani said:


> Giant soft box left, silver reflector right, and home made silver reflector bottom (large board with glued aluminum foil on one side) in front of gray seamless.  5DIII, 135L, f/6.3, 1/160, ISO100.



This is my favorite : ) 10/10.


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## 651stp

Shot with bare flash to camera left



TXNBX by jpixelz, on Flickr


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## jake337

651stp said:


> Shot with bare flash to camera left
> 
> 
> 
> TXNBX by jpixelz, on Flickr




Minnesnowta!


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## 412 Burgh

Robin_Usagani said:
			
		

> This should qualify.  5D2, Sigma 85, ISO1600, f/3.2.  This is before I clone out the light post.  So yeah.. that is the setup.  Just one speedlite.  Light was reflected by the umbrella.



Robin I have seen this photo on your website before I think. I love the shot. Now is the light pointed at the couple or upwards to the umbrella?


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## 651stp

jake337 said:


> 651stp said:
> 
> 
> 
> Shot with bare flash to camera left
> 
> 
> 
> TXNBX by jpixelz, on Flickr
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Minnesnowta!
Click to expand...


yep, its damn cold right now haha. -45 few days ago :S


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## jake337

651stp said:


> jake337 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 651stp said:
> 
> 
> 
> Shot with bare flash to camera left
> 
> 
> 
> TXNBX by jpixelz, on Flickr
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Minnesnowta!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> yep, its damn cold right now haha. -45 few days ago :S
Click to expand...


Yep, yep!

Gotta ask, Laos?


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## Robin_Usagani

412 Burgh said:


> Robin_Usagani said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This should qualify.  5D2, Sigma 85, ISO1600, f/3.2.  This is before I clone out the light post.  So yeah.. that is the setup.  Just one speedlite.  Light was reflected by the umbrella.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Robin I have seen this photo on your website before I think. I love the shot. Now is the light pointed at the couple or upwards to the umbrella?
Click to expand...


It was pointed to the head.  Just try different things.  The hard part was focusing.  You need a flash light.


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## Robin_Usagani

Giant soft box directly behind the cam with 50mm.  50 mm was intentional so the catch light is super big.


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## kundalini

Robin_Usagani said:


> Damn kundalini. Pretty ripped!



Damn, I was hoping a chick would say something first. 

Yeah, but I'm standing on a pair of pasty white bird legs


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## Geaux

I've posted this in another thread, but it's a one light




Untitled by NOLA_2T, on Flickr

d90
1/125
f/3.5
85mm
SB600 hand held camera boom above right of subject with DIY snoot (doozie)


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## Tuffythepug

Portraits not really my strong suit but I'll play along.
This is my Grandson Frankie on his 5th birthday yesterday.
SB700 hand held above and slightly to the left of subject;  diffused light through a shaded window to the right
additional info:   Nikon D80    70mm   1/60 sec.   F6.3  ISO 100..........Nikon SB700 strobe off camera


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## 651stp

jake337 said:


> 651stp said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> jake337 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Minnesnowta!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yep, its damn cold right now haha. -45 few days ago :S
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yep, yep!
> 
> Gotta ask, Laos?
Click to expand...


Nope, hmong


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## Don Kondra

Thanks for the excuse Kundalini 

Just set up a new 4' x 6' softbox..

In hindsight I was more concerned about the hat logo showing up clearly, not sure if I care for the head tilt.

E-5, 50mm @ f 13, iso 100, 1/250.  






And the set up...






Cheers, Don


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## amolitor

Who's a big drama queen? WHO's a big DRAMA QUEEN?!!




Vivitar 585 with a snoot (rolled up newspaper) high and right on 1/4 manual. 50mm on a crop sensor, f4.0, ISO 100. Delta airlines free blanket in the background, one of my wife's yoga blankets wrapped around me.

A little burning and dodging here and there and adjust levels upwards a bit (yeah, I know) and desaturate a great deal.


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## Mully

Nice Mug


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## Forkie

Here's mine.  One light about 4 ft away camera left.  Not happy with the shadow of the nose, really.

I'll edit this post with the EXIF later.  This is a copy of a copy and the EXIF data has been stripped somewhere along the way, but I think it was f/11, 1/160 (D300s 18-105mm).  Against a white wall.  The DOF is fake.


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## .SimO.

Fantastic thread. Can't wait to participate and share.


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## rexbobcat

I'm pretty partial to one-light setups it seems lol. More than one light becomes so cumbersome.


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## Tee

I don't want to speak for the Kunda-Meister but I think he envisioned a thread where we would share the in depth how's and why's of each shot such as settings, equipment used and such, not just posting images. I admit I skirted the edges of my post. Tonight I will put some thought into a one light image I want to share and follow K's format.


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## .SimO.

From an amateur side of things, I do like to see the setups and settings for the shots.


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## Thayli

I cant help myself, I love single light setups.




Single softbox with 75w modeling light to the left, maybe 10 inches above babys head height. Helios 44-2 on an xti.




Another helios shot, (im 99% sure it was the helios on this one, bizarre I remember the lighting but not the lens), 160w softbox on 1/2 power to the slightly high right.




This one is on demand of my wife to prove a point. I wanted to delete this as soon as I took it, but the missus decided to abuse her position in my life and forced me to keep it. It then became one of her favorite shots. Personally I think it looks like a portrait of crack addiction. Anyway, over the months since it was taken I've warmed to it, in a morbid fascination kind-of-way, (even to the point of using a crop as avatar). It still looks like a car crash to me, but there is something _interesting_ about it. Taken with a nifty fifty and a single 160w softbox 6ft away on the high left, full power I think.


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## rexbobcat

Tee said:


> I don't want to speak for the Kunda-Meister but I think he envisioned a thread where we would share the in depth how's and why's of each shot such as settings, equipment used and such, not just posting images. I admit I skirted the edges of my post. Tonight I will put some thought into a one light image I want to share and follow K's format.



What if your set up is so basic and obvious that it does not require an explanation? lol


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## .SimO.

rexbobcat said:


> Tee said:
> 
> 
> 
> I don't want to speak for the Kunda-Meister but I think he envisioned a thread where we would share the in depth how's and why's of each shot such as settings, equipment used and such, not just posting images. I admit I skirted the edges of my post. Tonight I will put some thought into a one light image I want to share and follow K's format.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What if your set up is so basic and obvious that it does not require an explanation? lol
Click to expand...


Most things are simple and obvious when you excel at it.  For me, I am just now getting into strobe lighting so when I see points being made on setups, distances of equipment & subject, that weighs a lot to individuals such as myself.


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## Granddad

Here's mine, taken yesterday for a friend of my wife. One of a set  intended for the author portrait for a professional book she'll be  publishing later this year. Not necessarily the best of the set but the one I was working on when I read the thread.
Nikon D 700
Nikon 24-70 f2.8
ISO160
F 11
1/125
Single strobe 45degrees camera right high with a 50cm x 70cm softbox
large silvered reflector camera left about 3 feet from the victim ... I mean subject.

Image  has been through Portrait Professional for skin treatment and to open  up the eyes a little (she tends to squint without her specs) and through  PS elements 8 to provide some minimal dental repair work and to repair  her lipstick and reshape the bottom lip slightly. Also through the distort filter to gently ease a couple of pounds away.


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## Vtec44

One YN560 at full power through a folded shoot through umbrella.


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## paigew

This is a great thread! But I don't think the outdoor + flash counts. Nor do the light + window light. After all the sun is a light source so that would be two sources  

"bed head" lit by tiny bed lamp





"light dancer" shot during blue hour. 'lit' by glowstick (I guess this could be two sources :er





"play-dough" lit by (single) large window





"the pumpkin" 





edit to add one more: lit by large window.


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## bigtwinky

Put me in a live show, i'll kick butt.  Make me use off camera flash? Ouch.  I sooo need to work on my posing, but last Friday I was asked to come up to a rehearsal space and shoot a few shots in a 20 minute span.  Thank god I brought some flashes, even if I am not used to using them, they kinda came in handy.  And ya know, why practice on just one person when you can cram 5 people in a small space and try with them?  haha

The guys in the back are too dark, had issues with posing and getting even light on them all.  Single flash on camera left with a grid.  



Need to finish my edits on the image, its a bit too contrasty and rough, although thats the look they wanted haha.


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## kundalini

Tee said:


> I don't want to speak for the Kunda-Meister but I think he envisioned a thread where we would share the in depth how's and why's of each shot such as settings, equipment used and such, not just posting images. I admit I skirted the edges of my post. Tonight I will put some thought into a one light image I want to share and follow K's format.


That was the hope. Also, questions about setups, settings and why something was done certain ways will add information to those that are starting out with a single flash unit. Discussions are a good thing.




rexbobcat said:


> What if your set up is so basic and obvious that it does not require an explanation? lol


A few words of explaination might help set the scene.




paigew said:


> This is a great thread! But I don't think the outdoor + flash counts. Nor do the light + window light. After all the sun is a light source so that would be two sources


It depends on how the sun or a window is used. 

Battling against a bright backlight would certainly count, otherwise you'd have a silhouette without any facial features.
You could overexpose the scene through the window and light the subject indoors to have a white background.



Thanks everyone for your contribution. :thumbsup:


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## paigew

kundalini said:


> paigew said:
> 
> 
> 
> This is a great thread! But I don't think the outdoor + flash counts. Nor do the light + window light. After all the sun is a light source so that would be two sources
> 
> 
> 
> It depends on how the sun or a window is used.
> 
> Battling against a bright backlight would certainly count, otherwise you'd have a silhouette without any facial features.
> You could overexpose the scene through the window and light the subject indoors to have a white background.
Click to expand...

Well thats why its a challenge! Its not "one light unless your battling a strongly backlit window" (or sky etc). Its ONE lightsource.....but hey, your thread your rules


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## Vtec44

The thread title is "ONE-LIGHT" not "ONE LIGHT SOURCE".  lol


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## DiskoJoe

Vtec44 said:


> The thread title is "ONE-LIGHT" not "ONE LIGHT SOURCE".  lol



He stated one light source in the original post.


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## Vtec44

Okay he needs to stop confusing people.


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## paigew

Vtec44 said:


> Okay he needs to stop confusing people.


Yeah that lol.


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## TordFuglstad

A lot of good photos in here! Not sure if I can keep up.
So I took this photo of myself, self portrait some say.
I am damn tired so that's why I look angry, tired etc. lol




Tired Self Portrait by TordFuglstad, on Flickr
This is the settings I used: 
Shot Tethered in Lightroom 4.3
Nikon D800
1/250s f/13 ISO100 50mm (50mm F1.8D)One Elinchrom strobe through softbox over camera.

And this is the setup.

​


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## kundalini

paigew said:


> Vtec44 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Okay he needs to stop confusing people.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah that lol.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, okay, how about this?  Ambient light can be present, accounted for and used to your heart's content, since it may not be dedicated to light your subject.  IDK, just have fun.


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## fokker

This was a self portait with a single speedlight to camera left that I am looking straight at, eye level from about 1 metre away. The speedlight has a homemade grid using the 'McDonalds Straws' method. 


This one below was using one speedlight with an umbrella to camera right with a reflector close in (just out of the frame) to camera left.


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## Tuffythepug

This is what I felt you meant all along and  seems to make the most sense.   Otherwise you'd be limiting everyone to using no flash unless it was in a totally dark room;   Your original portrait showed this idea very well with a singe strobe left  and a large window on the right side;  which is, in fact, very similar to the setup I used.


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## kundalini

Messing around this past weekend.

The Gear:
D700 with 70-200mm
PCB White Lightning X1600 fired with PCB Cybersync
42" Westcott Reflective Umbrella
Lastolite TriGrip with Silver/Gold alternating stripes cover
13' HD stand with 10lbs counterweight & 10' MD stand with reflector arm and 10lbs counterweight

The Settings:
Aperture: f/5
Shutter Speed: 1/200s
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 110mm

The Prep Work:







The Setup Shot & Distances: ~30' camera to subject - 8' flash to subject - 8' reflector to subject
Strong backlight







A heavily cropped first edit:








Thanks for looking.


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## tirediron

kundalini said:


> Messing around this past weekend.
> 
> The Gear:
> D700 with 70-200mm
> PCB White Lightning X1600 fired with PCB Cybersync
> 42" Westcott Reflective Umbrella
> Lastolite TriGrip with Silver/Gold alternating stripes cover
> 13' HD stand with 10lbs counterweight & 10' MD stand with reflector arm and 10lbs counterweight
> 
> The Settings:
> Aperture: f/5
> Shutter Speed: 1/200s
> ISO: 200
> Focal Length: 110mm
> 
> 
> A heavily cropped first edit:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for looking.


Great shot!!!  (I don't see that telephone pole of a stogey on the gear list though...  )


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## IByte

kundalini said:


> Messing around this past weekend.
> 
> The Gear:
> D700 with 70-200mm
> PCB White Lightning X1600 fired with PCB Cybersync
> 42" Westcott Reflective Umbrella
> Lastolite TriGrip with Silver/Gold alternating stripes cover
> 13' HD stand with 10lbs counterweight & 10' MD stand with reflector arm and 10lbs counterweight
> 
> The Settings:
> Aperture: f/5
> Shutter Speed: 1/200s
> ISO: 200
> Focal Length: 110mm
> 
> The Prep Work:
> 
> The Setup Shot & Distances: ~30' camera to subject - 8' flash to subject - 8' reflector to subject
> Strong backlight
> 
> A heavily cropped first edit:
> 
> Thanks for looking.



Damn, think ill head to a cigar shop now.


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## amolitor

Does the cigar count as a second light, when it's lit?


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## EIngerson

That's awesome Kundalini!!


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## Pallycow

Does having a strobe lighting the backrop still count as "one light"  some say yes, some say now.  Wondering if in this challenge it does or doesn't.


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## Pallycow




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## kundalini

tirediron said:


> Great shot!!! (I don't see that telephone pole of a stogey on the gear list though...  )


CODB     

I know it's kinda had to read on this size image, but the leading story of the paper is titled...  "City introduces transit smoking ban".  Made me laugh.


Here's a couple more that made me grin.  I set the interval timer for a shot every 5 seconds.

Caught myself in the middle of a real ripper....








At my age, I should know by now to never trust a fart.


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## drew.dover

my first attempt at using one light! C&C are welcome!



self portrait 3 by drew.dover, on Flickr


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## TimothyJinx

View attachment 35911

Being a noob, this was a very simple setup. I put an AlienBees B800 outside the window and pointed it at her face. I had a grid on it but I can't remember which one. I shot using a Canon 7d with a Canon 24-70 2.8 lens @50mm, f5.6, 100 ISO, 1/200. I kept moving the light around and changing the grid trying to get well-defined shadows on her arms without obscuring too much of her face.

This pose was our backup plan. Our original plan was to try and recreate a film noir type of street scene. I made a street light out of pvc pipe (painted black) and a porch light fixture. A black background, some fog and an old prom dress and we were in business. The only problem was the pics turned out looking like either a screen shot from a cheesy horror flick or an ad for a "working girl". Being that this is my daughter I am shooting, I scrapped the plan A idea and moved on to the window shot! :blushing:


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## PhillipM

Canon D60 w/24.70 2.8L
AB800 camera left, reflector camera right.


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## tirediron

PhillipM said:


> Canon D60 w/24.70 2.8L
> AB800 camera left, reflector camera right.


Beautiful!


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## Rick50

Yes, Phillip, love the lighting on that one.


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## TimothyJinx

PhillipM said:


> Canon D60 w/24.70 2.8L
> AB800 camera left, reflector camera right.




Wow! Gorgeous!


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## Austin Greene

I'll bite..




Untitled by TogaLive, on Flickr
Flash camera left, about 2" above model. Basic speedlight behind a 30" umbrella. 





Speedlight camera left, about 2" away from model. Ground level, with 30" umbrella.


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## AgentDrex

150-watt clear bulb in a clamp light undiffused three feet to photo left.  Reflector photo left about a foot away.  f/11 (maybe f/8??? don't really remember) on a 28-85mm lens (most likely around the 50mm range, I really need to write some of this stuff down for future reference, manual lenses and EXIF don't work together well), ISO 1600, 1/100 and a 20 degree Fahrenheit room.


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## tevo

One flash diffused through a white umbrella camera right, basic basic.

#1



Day 40: February 13, 2013 by theofficialtevo, on Flickr


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## rexbobcat

Live damn you!

1.




2.




3.




4.




One strobe in all of them through either a beauty dish, large octobox or a shoot through umbrella...with a white sheet because I lost my reflector. lol


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## ralphh

I feel that nagging urge to buy a pocket wizard coming on again....


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## IByte

ralphh said:


> I feel that nagging urge to buy a pocket wizard coming on again....



Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it.... (((O!O)))


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## ralphh

Haha, I think i probably will


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## IByte

ralphh said:


> Haha, I think i probably will



Oh man really that's awesome nice choice lol.


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## .SimO.

AB800 slight right and above through beauty dish.  Thoughts?


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## ghache

Here a bunch of shots, shot with different source of light, using different light modifiers. only 1 light source.


1. Small softbox camera right with a vivivar 285hv on a vagabon mini.






2. Bowens 500 in a 22 inch dish powered with vagabon mini, camera right.







3    800w strobe in 22 inch beauty dish, camera right powered by vagabon mini 






4.  1 Vivitar 285HV in a 42 inch silver reflective umbrella, camera left.










5. ab800 ring flash on camera.







1 52 inch round silver reflector, camera left.







6. 1 large softbox high up camera left close to model.





7. 1 vivitar 285 HV no modifiers camera left


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## Ballistics

D7000 50mm 1.8 @ f11 Monolight with shoot through umbrella. 




Hasselblad 120mm Same light


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## Helen B

4x4 softbox just behind and mostly to the left of, and a little above the camera. 4x5, Cooke 9" PS945 lens at about f/5.6 - just a shade down from wide open. Fuji instant peel apart film, EI 100.


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## ewick

[
One speed light sb700 bounced off the ceiling.


IMG]

 Jeanne by EricJimenezPhoto, on Flickr[/IMG]


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## Robin_Usagani

With giant softbox and AB1600 left.






AB with reflector bare flash camera right





AB1600 bounced to the white wall behind her on the right, white cardboard box with a hole in the middle to shoot through.  Holes were cloned out on PP.


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## Capturedhearts

I love one light portraiture! It's so effective and quick. This was shot with one sb900, 50mm at f2.8.

this is my first post, so just popped my photo forum cherry!!  X


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