Lighting Theory & Equipment

Lighting

Master the fundamentals and harness the power of light
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Before you can truly understand photography, you have to understand light.

From the physics behind essential lighting theory to the numerous available studio lights, it can seem like a lot to learn. But when it’s approached in an accessible, step-by-step way, light is something anyone can master.

Whether you’re into portraiture, fashion, food, product, or any other type of photography, lighting is the key to the images you want!

Before you dig into the courses below, why not have a play with our Lighting Comparison Visualiser? It’s a quick and easy way to experiment with different lighting setups – and it’s also a lot of fun.

  • 20 Classes
  • +40 Hours content
  • Level: All Levels
Lighting Theory and Equipment
Lighting Modifiers and Their Effects

Lighting Theory and Equipment Classes

Lighting Theory & Equipment

Lighting Theory and Equipment

  • 16 Classes
  • 4 Hours content
  • Level: All Levels

Here you’ll find a complete introduction to studio lighting and equipment, covering fundamental concepts related to portraiture, product and fashion photography.

Karl explains essential lighting theory and demonstrates how to use this knowledge to recognise, modify and control light. He also covers different types of studio lighting, plus useful equipment and accessories for studio photography, backgrounds, lenses, and more.

What you’ll learn:

  • Studio lighting and how to use it
  • Studio lighting for photography
  • Hard vs soft light
  • The inverse square law
  • Techniques for controlling light
  • Different types of studio lighting
  • Understand flash power and duration
  • How to choose the right lens for studio photography
  • Tips to set up your own photography studio
Lighting Modifiers & Their Effects

Using Lighting Modifiers

Lighting Modifiers & Their Effects
  • 5 Classes
  • 9+ Hours content
  • Level: All Levels

Wondering what a softbox is? Unsure when to use one instead of an umbrella? Baffled by beauty dishes? These classes are for you.

You’ll learn how, why and when to use a range of common lighting modifiers. With clear explanations, demonstrations, and visual comparisons of how each modifier works – plus the different effects each one can achieve – you’ll soon understand how to get the best results from any modifier.

What you’ll learn:

  • What parabolic means in photography
  • What a parabolic reflector does to the light
  • What a parabolic light modifier is
  • The effects of different lighting modifiers
  • What a beauty dish does
  • The difference between a beauty dish and a softbox
  • How to shoot with a beauty dish
  • What softbox lighting is used for
  • The best size softbox for portraits
  • What umbrella lighting is used for
  • How to set up an umbrella light for photography

How our classes work

Once you’ve watched our ‘Lighting Theory’ course, you’ll have a good understanding of the lighting fundamentals applied throughout all of our classes. We’ve specifically designed our videos to act as stand-alone, step-by-step classes, so you can dive right into whatever appeals to you most.

If you’re not sure where you start, check out How to Use Karl Taylor Education, take a look at our learning pathways or simply get in touch.

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"The lessons are just pure gold. The thoroughness is just unmatched. Every situation explained in great detail.”

Lance Nguyen

"Great to have all this valuable information in a single place. Well organised and easy to access. I’ve been looking for something like this for centuries.”

Nicolae Marian

"You can’t imagine how the last 365 days has changed my photography in a positive way! I tried several other online programmes but yours is the best in explanation and techniques!"

Oliver Ayerle

Karl Taylor Tutor
Meet your tutor

Karl Taylor

Karl Taylor has been a professional photographer for more than 25 years. Commissioned by leading global brands for his precise attention to detail and exquisite control of light, Karl is also known as an instructor who explains complex subjects clearly and effectively. Karl’s unique expertise and commitment to education has led him to work for Hasselblad Camera Company, Broncolor Lighting and Adobe, as well as to appearances on the BBC and elsewhere.

Personalised support

To help you make the most of our classes, we’ve made it easy to get in touch. Whether you have general photography questions or queries relating to specific classes, our knowledgeable team is here to help you achieve your goals.

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