Closer or Further? How Light Distance Changes Your Photos | Gavin Hoey

Lighting isn’t just about where you place your light, it’s about how far away it is. In this episode, photographer Gavin Hoey explores what really happens when you move your light closer to or further away from your subject. From exposure changes and evenness across a scene, to shadow quality and contrast, small adjustments in distance can completely transform the look and feel of your photos. Working inside a small home studio, Gavin demonstrates: How light distance affects exposure, why backing your light up creates more even coverage (perfect for group portraits) and how bringing your light closer increases contrast and mood. Gavin goes on to explore and explain how distance alters the appearance of shadows both on and behind your model. But as Gavin shows, altering the modifier size changes everything, so you can have soft shadows with even lighting (further away) or soft shadows with dramatic contrast (closer). Timestamps and Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:35 Getting the basics right 1:10 Move the light, alter the brightness 1:57 Closer light adds character 3:20 Uneven lighting on two people 4:08 Even lighting for group photography 4:45 Fix shadows behind your subject 5:47 Why softboxes come in different sizes 6:40 Large softbox near and far 7:45 Large softbox, small distance 8:35 Photo session with large close flash 9:40 Conclusions and Subscribe SUBSCRIBE AND BE PART OF THE ADORAMA FAMILY: ➥ https://www.youtube.com/user/adoramaTV __________________________________ Be the first to shop our great deals and sales by signing up for emails from Adorama! https://www.adorama.com/MyAccount/Login 🔷 Save 5% Every Day† or Special Financing* On purchases of $199+ with the Adorama Edge Credit Card. Learn More: https://www.adorama.com/g/adorama-credit. __________________________________ ✘ GEAR USED: Flashpoint XPLOR 300 Pro II https://www.adorama.com/fplfx300piit.html Glow EZ Lock Collapsible Silver Beauty Dish (42") https://www.adorama.com/glbdez42s.html Glow EZ Lock Collapsible Silver Beauty Dish (25") https://www.adorama.com/glbdez25s.html Flashpoint R2 Pro Mark II https://www.adorama.com/fprrr2prooii.html Glow S2 Round Flash S-type Bowens Mount Bracket https://www.adorama.com/glbdsm02pro.html Sekonic L-858D + Transmitter Module for Flashpoint and Godox https://www.adorama.com/sk401858gx.html Tether Tools TetherPro Optima 10G 15' USB-C Straight to USB-C Right Angle Cable, Orange https://www.adorama.com/ttcuc15rtg2o.html Tether Tools AeroTrac Workstation System https://www.adorama.com/ttatws.html OM SYSTEM OM-1 https://www.adorama.com/iomom1m2.html OM SYSTEM 12-100mm f/4 Pro www.adorama.com/iom12100b.html #lightingdemo #lightingtutorial #adorama __________________________________ ❐ LET'S GET SOCIAL ❏ ➥ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@adoramanyc ➥ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/adorama/ ➥ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/adorama/ ➥ X https://x.com/adorama ➥ Discord https://www.adorama.com/discord ❐ MORE ADORAMA ❏ ➥ Shop https://www.adorama.com/ ➥ Blog https://www.adorama.com/alc/ ➥ Adorama Events https://www.youtube.com/@AdoramaEvents __________________________________ Follow Gavin Hoey on https://www.instagram.com/thegavinhoey Model and MUA Sophie Daly https://www.instagram.com/sophie_daly __________________________________ THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!