Perpendicular, available lighting for portraits?

[andre]

What could be an easy way to get a two perpendicular lights from available light?
Basically I want the subject to be lit from 11 o'clock and 2 o'clock and have small amount of fill or ambient light from 6 o'clock.

The only thing I can think of is a room with 2 perpendicular windows. But I usually don't have one available.

I have tried 1 window + 1 reflector but didn't get the right look from the reflector.
I tried flags to create negative fill but the flags have to be so big or close to the subject, it becomes unpractical.

The last thing I can think of is being downtown have buildings act as "flags". But here the backdrop might become a challenge.

Any ideas?

An example:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7211/7106837195_e3427aa0fc_n.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/bQ1p6M)missing pieces (https://flic.kr/p/bQ1p6M) by micmojo (https://www.flickr.com/people/57449198@N00/), on Flickr

[jp]

Edward Curtis had used a dark tent and opened flaps as needed to get all his natural light portraits in his travels.

I would use artificial light but that's not the question. Did you check with micmojo?

[cowanw]

Two long rectangular pieces of white foam (or covered in aluminum foil) to reflect window light back on the subject.

[Bob Salomon]

Two long rectangular pices of white foam (or covered in aluminum foil) to reflect window light back on the subject.

If doing color use silver mylar as aluminum will add blue and be too cool.

[cowanw]

Now that is good to know!

[Tin Can]

Didn't some ancient studios use mirrors or reflectors to angle light from windows and skylights?

[andre]

Edward Curtis had used a dark tent and opened flaps as needed to get all his natural light portraits in his travels.

I would use artificial light but that's not the question. Did you check with micmojo?

I looked at the positioning of the windows in other shots of micmojo. I believe she's sitting under the windowsills of 3 windows at 10, 11 and 12 o'clock.
It's magical to me...

With artificial lighting I'm afraid I have to buy modifiers as large as windows to get the same soft light.




Two long rectangular pieces of white foam (or covered in aluminum foil) to reflect window light back on the subject.
Do you have any examples for this? I never manage to get a nice looking light from a reflector.

[cowanw]

Yes, large pieces of flat foam board; experiment with size and closeness.

[Tin Can]

I am considering 4x8 sheets of 10mm white Coroplast instead of foam core, for it's durability. I can get it locally cheaper than foam core and it's cleanable and far sturdier. Either way I will need to rent a ZIpCar Econoline van just to get them home.

[danno@cnwl.igs]

Try using a movie screen (or slide screen). They are portable, have great reflectivity, and are probably unused and unwanted, now that digital monitors are used more often.

[andre]

Do you maybe have some image examples where you used reflective light as a second source?
Like I said before, I have never managed to achieve a pleasant look with reflectors.