How To Use RGB Lights For Color Effects
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- June 16, 2022
Words and Photos by Brandon Demery @ Picture Studios in Greensboro, NC
In the last year at Picture Studios, I’ve used most of the lighting equipment they provide with the exception of the RGB lights: they’re less flashy (in terms of their physical appearance, I mean). I never thought I would find a use for them given my minimalistic style. What surprised me was how easily they were to add to my workflow. Below, I’ll detail the ridiculously simple setup I used to capture some portraits of my friend, Stephen.
Start by turning on the light switch. You’ll see two dials and a few buttons. The dials change things like brightness and color temperature. The up and down arrows are self-explanatory. The “mode” button will add various effects to the light, such as, “lightning” and “cop car.” These can be adjusted by using the dials. Press the right dial in, like a button, and the middle option on the display will change to “hue.”
- Turn on the light and adjust the dials.
- Alter the hue and saturation of the light.
- Place the lights on each side of your subject.
The GVM 800 D and 850 D series RGB Lights provide full color, 360-degree bright light which is perfect in a studio environment. They also feature 8 modes to alter the scene (TV, Candle, Cop Car, Lightning, Paparazzi, Disco, Party, & Bad Bulb).
Picture Studios – Hourly Rental Studios in Charlotte and Greensboro (www.picturestudios.com)
I used 360 for the shade of red I chose, and 240 for the blue.
The same dial will now change the number from 0 to 360 degrees. From there, I simply put them at equal distance on either side of Stephen— no other lights required! It’s really that simple. After realizing how easy they were to operate, all that was left was to apply the fundamentals of lighting, as you would with any other light source (including the sun) to establish a look.
I used red and blue on the sides, creating a stark contrast, but something as simple as moving the position of the lights can change the effect to a more blended, purple-y look, or maybe front lighting with one color, and backlighting with another. Try them out at Picture Studios in Charlotte or Greensboro, mix up color combinations, and see what you come up with!
Picture Studios is a photographer’s best friend. We rent our photography studios for as low as $30 per hour for content creation, interviews and photoshoots. We also provide one-stop makeup services that save clients time and money. Our Charlotte photo studio is located at Greylyn Business Park near Sardis Woods and McAlpine Creek Park. Our Greensboro photo studio is near Four Seasons Mall and Koury Convention Center at Meadowview Crossing. Both studios are equipped with backdrops, furniture, lights and vanity stations in professional office settings. To learn more, visit www.picturestudios.com.
