Rembrandt lighting photography
Rembrandt lighting photography has been practiced since the 16th century.
In the late 18th century, the Dutch painter, Rembrandt van Rijn created his most famous series of paintings, known as the Night Watch. He employed a very specific lighting technique, known as the “golden mean” to create the illusion of a golden light emanating from the oil lamps on the table, the ceiling and the walls.
This technique is similar to the “Rule of Thirds” that we all learned in art class when painting landscapes. It helps us to arrange the composition, so that the subject appears to occupy one third of the picture plane.
When you look at a painting of Rembrandt’s painting The Night Watch, you can see the golden glow on the floor and on the walls behind the table and the paintings. This is Rembrandt’s clever use of lighting, known as “Rembrandt lighting”. Rembrandt also used light to create a special effect called chiaroscuro. This is the technique of darkening the shadows and lightening the highlights.
Rembrandt also used a technique called “highlighting”, where he deliberately placed bright light sources, such as candles, on the wall and the floor to illuminate the room. This can create dramatic effects and is often used in portraits.
It was not until the 19th century that Rembrandt lighting became widely practised by other artists. However, there are still artists today who use this technique in their works of art.
We have been trained to look for details in pictures, such as the lighting in Rembrandt’s painting. In this painting, the gold light creates a sense of space and a special atmosphere in the room. It allows us to imagine ourselves in this room and feel like we are part of the scene.
To recreate the same atmosphere in your home, use the Rule of Thirds, which states that the top, bottom, left and right parts of your image should be divided into thirds. If you are working on a small canvas, you can use this rule as a guide, but when you are working on a larger scale you may need to use another method.
Remember that the best images have a subject that is interesting and unusual. Take a few moments to think about what you would like your pictures to show, then work out a plan to include these elements in your shots.
It can be helpful to sketch out a rough plan in pencil and then add colours and finishing touches once you have developed your photographs. You can choose to use a variety of different methods, such as taking pictures at different times of the day, using different kinds of light, using a flash, changing your point of view, using the Rule of Thirds, and experimenting with different ways of posing your subjects.
Tips for Rembrandt lighting photography
Rembrandt lighting refers to a type of light where the source is high on the wall and the light hits the subject from above, thus casting a halo effect. This technique is often used for portraits where the subject faces the camera, or when the lighting is very strong and the background appears black and the subject remains in focus.
1. Choose your background.
The best backgrounds to use are ones with an interesting texture. In this case, a simple wooden shelf works beautifully. However, if the room is small and there are no other options, then this will have to be made do. Try to position the subject so they are not in the shadow of a corner.
2. Choose your lighting.
As with most lighting types, choosing a Rembrandt light requires some trial and error. Most people use a large reflector placed at the top of the wall, but there are many other options, including using a black card as a light modifier and even using a soft box. A soft box is simply a large light source with a circular opening. The key to getting good results with this type of light is to make sure you fill the opening with a diffuser.
3. Set up your lighting.
The best way to achieve the halo effect is by positioning your subject at the top of the wall, with the light source about a meter above the subject. This means that you will need to place the subject slightly behind the wall. If there is no other option, you can use a simple reflector or large card to create the lighting effect.
A softbox is a large box that contains a diffuser. It is often used in photography as a substitute for a larger light source and allows the photographer to get better lighting than with a regular light.