Think you need a full studio to take a terrific dramatic portrait?

This is a simple one light portrait, referred to as “Paramount Lighting” (AKA “Butterfly Lighting”).  Paramount Lighting was developed by a photographer at Paramount Studios in the 1930s. It was a dramatic and easy way to take publicity photos of their stars. It was an easy setup and proved to be very dramatic. Read more.

I used a 300 watt daylight fluorescent bulb and a small 16″ square soft-box with one diffuser panel. (No flash, continuous light)  Placed above the camera, pointed at the subject.  Used a tripod.

• Aperture 2.8
• Shutter Speed 1/160
• ISO 640
• 50mm 1.4 lens

In Photoshop I posterized the background, and saturated the orange decals.