Should you add Fresnel-style lights to your portrait equipment collection? Besides looking like a great prop in your photo, is it light you can use as your primary source for the photo?
If you are interested in using Fresnel for your portrait work, photographer John Gress share three different Fresnel units you can use in your work today. While this isn’t the only method, Fresnel is a great choice if you’re looking to recreate hard light that resembles studio sunlight.
In this video, Gress gives a quick history lesson about the Fresnel lens and how it works. Gress also shows how you can vary the light spread in two of the units to give you a slightly different look. If you love lighting in old Hollywood movies and portraits, then a Fresnel device might be just what you need.
Which unit in the video do you think produces the best results? Do you own a Fresnel lamp, and if so, do you use it in your work? Is it a fancy stand in the scene or do you use it as one of the light sources for your work? Let us know in the comments section below and share your example.
