Using a Fresnel for Soft Lighting

We got this arrangement from Bill Holshevnikoff, author of the Arri Lighting Handbook. Since we don’t have Arri lights, we placed a Nanlite Forza 300 fitted with an FL-20G fresnel lens perpendicular to the camera and directed it toward a reflector, which then becomes our key light, creating a soft light with gentle wraparound and nice catchlights in the eyes. A large source close to the subject is what creates wonderful specular highlights in skin and if you can arrange to have a teeny tiny bit of the hard light brush the subject’s shirt or face as in the first shot with the yellow shirt, it will look more natural still.