The Hot Shoe Diaries: Big Light from Small Flashes

Beach Light

FOR SUPREMELY ATHLETIC BODIES, a rim light is often very cool. By using lights that are winged out behind and to each side of the subject, you effectively draw a line of hot light all around the physique in question, and the heat of that light will help you define the body and give it some glow. A spritzer and some baby oil is also very helpful.

I mention to wing the lights out behind the subject, or into a position I sometimes refer to as “three quarter back.” (I mention this in “Some Light Conversation.”) If you imagine your camera at 12 o’clock, and the subject is the center of the dial, these rim flashes would then be at 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock. It usually works best to take the dome diffusers off and zoom the flashes ...