How to Set the Lighting When Doing My Own Portrait

Assemble and hang the backdrop you will be using for your portrait. Position the stool you will sit on three to four feet in front of the backdrop and in the middle of it.

Attach your digital camera to a tripod and position the camera five to six feet directly in front of the stool.

Position your key or main light to the left of the stool, at a 45 degree angle so the light is roughly halfway between the stool and the camera position.

Position your fill or second light in the same position on the opposite side of the stool.

Position a third light on the left side of the stool at a 45 degree angle halfway between the stool and the backdrop. This light will used to illuminate your hair. The light will need to elevated so it is above you and aiming directly down your back.

Position a fourth light directly behind the stool and direct the light toward the backdrop.

Turn the lights on, and set the power on your key or main light to full power. Set the other lights to half power.

Attach the light's sync cord to a light/flash meter, and sit on the stool. Look toward the camera, and hold the light/flash meter in front of your nose with the sensor pointed toward the camera. Press the button on the light meter to take a reading.

Turn your camera on, and set the exposure mode to manual. Set the exposure to match the reading on the light meter.

Sit on the stool, position yourself and trigger the camera either by using a remote, or by pressing the shutter release to activate the camera's self-timer before you sit on the stool.

Review the picture, and take a few more using different poses until you have a few pictures to choose from.