Fashion Editorial Lighting Setups from Our Shoots

The light

Why this setup

The empty studio set with a white backdrop, black boards on both sides and overhead, and a hard light with a black flag on the right

Behind the scenes

The empty set, before the model steps in

Light only where we want it

That was the idea for this Elle story. A moody, otherworldly look that still feels like fashion. So we built the set around control: three lights, and a lot of black.

A soft gradient on the backdrop sets the mood. A small gridded light from above draws the head and shoulders. A hard key hits the face and nothing else. Black boards on every side stop the light from bouncing around, so the shadows stay deep and the colour of the clothes stays rich.

BackdropStrip softbox high at the back, fading toward the floor
TopSmall Octa with grid, almost straight above the model
KeyHard reflector, camera right, on the face only
ShapingBlack boards both sides and overhead, small mirror board camera left
ColourDark blue gel on set, Capture One style · inside the Lab

The setup

Build it in 3D

The first three steps

The setup from the Elle shoot, rebuilt in 3D. Pick a step to switch the lights on one by one. The last step and the full plan are inside the Lab.

3D view from above: a strip softbox at the back of the set lights the backdrop, white boards on both sides bounce the light

3D view of a small gridded softbox with a blue gel hanging just above the model, a black board stretched across the top of the set

3D view of a hard reflector on camera right aimed at the model, black boards around the set

Step 1 · The backdrop

On set

Elle

This is what the set looked like

Close view of the gridded softbox with a blue gel taped to the front, the model and camera underneath

Close inThe blue gel, taped right on the grid

Most of this setup is about taking light away.

Per Appelgren · on set

Compare

Three editorials

Three fashion editorials compared

On every shoot we decide first what the light should do to the clothes and the face.

Model in a green satin jacket leaning forward against a pale blue backdrop, face lit by a hard light from the side

Elle

Built in 3D above

Three lights and a lot of black, for a moody, controlled frame.

Feels: Dark, cold, otherworldly
Lights: 3, plus black boards and a mirror
Best for: Strong colour, satin, sculpted faces

Full-length fashion portrait of a model in a lace knit and pink laced trousers, her blonde hair standing up in stiff strands

Numéro

Six lights for a surreal, high-contrast look. Three of them sit behind the model: one high above for hair and shoulders, one for a soft gradient on the backdrop, one to separate her from it. The key is hard, from camera left, softened a little by a diffusion foil, with a big Octa beside it as fill. A low softbox on camera right fills under the chin.

Feels: Graphic, surreal, sharp
Lights: 6, plus two black flags
Best for: Full looks, hair, texture, head-to-toe

Model in a purple latex outfit posing inside a tall glass display case in front of a brushed metal wall

Le Mile Magazine

A sci-fi story about an abandoned space station on Mars, lit with five lights. A big umbrella above a fabric ceiling gives a soft base. Two hard reflectors behind the model, at head height, rim her back and head. A beauty dish low on camera right adds punch, and an Octa on camera left bounces off a white board into the shadows.

Feels: Cold, glossy, futuristic
Lights: 5, plus black and white boards
Best for: Concept stories, latex, shine

Soft light is the safe choice for fashion. It forgives and shows the clothes evenly. Editorial light is often hard and directed, and it lights only part of the frame. All three setups use hard light somewhere. What changes is how much of the rest you light. For beauty close-ups we use softer, rounder light, shown in our beauty dish breakdown.

From the set

Four things that matter

01
Start with the backdrop
The backdrop sets the mood before the model steps in. Light it first, then build the face.
02
Black is a light shaper
Black boards around the model keep the shadows deep. Without them, light bounces everywhere and the look goes flat.
03
Give every light one job
Backdrop, top, key. When you can say what each light is for, the setup stays clean.
04
Keep the key off the background
A flag in front of a hard light keeps it on the face and gives you a dark, controlled frame.

Inside the Lab

The full setups

The rest is inside the Lab

Members get all three setups the way we use them on set, with every detail we left out here.

Equipment list, every piece by nameLab
Power settings for every lightLab
Camera settingsLab
Step-by-step module with 3D viewsLab
Video breakdown of each setupLab
The Capture One style we usedLab

The full 3D plan of the Elle setup inside the Lab, blurred

Setup 54 · Elle

See the plans

Questions

Fashion editorial lighting

What lighting is used for fashion editorials?

There is no single answer. Many editorials use one hard key light for shape, plus a few lights for the backdrop, hair or shadows. Some are lit by the sun alone. The three setups on this page use three to six lights.

How many lights do I need for a fashion editorial?

Fewer than you think. One hard light, or the sun, can carry a whole story. Add lights only when each one has a clear job, like a gradient on the backdrop or separation from it.

Should I use hard or soft light for fashion photography?

Soft light shows the clothes evenly and is easy to work with. Hard light gives shape, texture and drama, which is why it shows up in so many editorials. Many setups combine both: a hard key with soft light around it.

Can I recreate a sunlight look in the studio?

Yes. Use one small, hard light and bring it up very high and far away from the model, like the sun. Black boards on the shadow side add contrast.

Fashion Editorial Lighting

Light only where we want it

The first three steps

The backdrop

The top light

The key

This is what the set looked like

Three fashion editorials compared

Elle

Numéro

Le Mile Magazine

Start with the backdrop

Black is a light shaper

Give every light one job

Keep the key off the background

The rest is inside the Lab

Step inside