QUESTION:

So when shooting commercial work, do you use multiple lights or do you stick with one light? Do you take tons of gear to your shoots and do whatever it takes to get the shot?

ANSWER:

I’m a one light kind of guy. The more lights you use the more complicated the setup becomes. However if multiple lights are required to get the shot the clients requires, then so be it. Multiple lights it is. On commercial shoots I can possibly count the number of times I used more than three (3) light on one hand.

One good rule I live by is preparation. At least I have a starting point. Plan, Plan, Plan. Not telling you this is always possible but it helps a bunch when you can. I love to use my 7’ parabolic and nine (9) times out of ten (10) I can get a pretty decent image with just that. My next favourite modifier when doing commercial shoots is the 24” Rapid Box. I just love this piece of kit. I can use it almost anywhere and it can be used in a number of different ways.

However remember reflectors and the sun can be added to your setup to give that fill or separation that’s sometimes needed. (So then technically when I do this I’m using two (2) light then right? Sorta….)

So basically using one light makes you sharp, you need to think more and be creative with that light. Multiple lights can sometimes slow you down. Once I needed to take an image, I really only had one light and the client needed the subject well lit on a pure white back ground. I used my 7’ parabolic.