Portrait Lighting: Subtract It

Step Two

Here, we position a 4×4′ Scrim Jim black, subtractive panel horizontally over the model’s head to block out the down light, forcing the light to reenter from the front. (Make sure to position the scrim a little behind the front of the face so the light comes in to the top of the forehead and the forehead isn’t dark.) Notice that, by correcting the lighting, your eyes go to her face and not the top of her head; however, the light is still flat without shadows or a pattern of light.