I know the Poser 4 (and 6) lighting basics: i.e the different types of lights, and what each light type's properties do. However, properly lighting an image to my satisfaction takes me even longer than posing! At this point in time, I think I spend too much time trying (and adjusting) various lighting setups until I get something that looks nice.

Are there any tutorials out there on how to create dramatic lighting in images (preferably, but not necessarily for poser)? I don't need tutorials on what the lighting types and dials are (I know that already), but on how to make the lighting dramatically & asthetically pleasing. Hopefully with well-lit examples (there's nothing more disconcerting than a tutorial with sample images that are worse than one's own art!).

Thanks!

My best source comes from photography. I can't point you to any specific sites/books at the moment, but there is some extensive work done in that area. I'd start with a google search. If that doesn't yield what you're looking for take a trip to the library. That said, photographic lighting techniques don't translate directly to poser but the concepts do. Good luck!

My best source comes from photography. I can't point you to any specific sites/books at the moment, but there is some extensive work done in that area. I'd start with a google search. If that doesn't yield what you're looking for take a trip to the library. That said, photographic lighting techniques don't translate directly to poser but the concepts do. Good luck!

You can also go to the public libary and find books on "Theatrical Lighting" which is a great free source of infomation on lighting techniques to make subjects look nice.

kirisute had a lighting tutorial on his site. Sorry, forgot the link.

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you can find a full lighting tutorial and a set of specially designed lights to go with it on my website: http://www.forgefires.co.uk the tutorial takes you through pretty much everything on lighting and also gives hints as to how you can use the lights ive created with it to the best advantage...it makes use of overexposed lights, spotlights etc...so it "should" help you out...i hope ;)

IMO if you tranfer lightsetups from real photo studios plus one IBL set to 10-40% intensity it works like the real thing. I am doing both, photographie and renders. I even use sometimes silver reflectors or black lightblockers made from simple boxes. A good start is the fashion studio from DAZ. The lights are parented to flash light props there, it is fantastic! Comes with an very good tutorial.