Patrick Rettler is a people photographer specializing in portfolio shoots and works with us as a partner. In the beauty, fashion, commercial, and editorial sectors, one thing is particularly important: the right lighting. In this article, we show how to create impressive portfolio images using compact LED continuous lighting – portable, versatile, and surprisingly efficient.
What makes a good sedcard?
Model and actor portfolios are the business card for models and actors – a compact portfolio that showcases versatility at a glance. While physical cards in DIN A5 format used to be the standard, digital portfolios now dominate the industry. However, the requirements remain the same:
A professional model portfolio needs a variety of looks that showcase the model's versatility. Technically clean lighting is crucial – the images must be convincing without extensive post-processing. A typical portfolio includes strong headshot portraits, full-body shots, different looks (from casual to elegant), and various lighting moods.
The challenge: all these variations should be created efficiently in a single session. This is where flexible equipment comes into play – mobile LED continuous lighting allows for quick look changes without having to completely rebuild the setup.
The shooting concept: Simplicity meets color
The goal: to use RGB lights as a colored background and demonstrate that impressive results are possible even with low light output – with 100% mobility. The shoot took place at Studio111 in Kerpen near Cologne, in a familiar environment without any particular technical challenges.
The idea behind it: simplicity in image composition, but with a modern touch through colored light. To prove that large, heavy studio equipment isn't always necessary – sometimes mobility and clever lighting are enough.
The setup: Compact and flexible
The equipment consisted exclusively of Rollei products: The LUX 60 RGB Cubes with Bowens adapter for a softbox, photographed with a Fuji GFX100S II and 80 mm lens, supplemented by a reflector .
The main light was positioned diagonally to the left, while a LUX Cube on a tripod illuminated the background. Particularly convenient features include battery operation, a wide range of colors, and app control. This allows for easy remote control of the light – intuitive and without interrupting the shoot.
The principle: Simple image composition made extravagant and modern through colored light. The setups remained fundamentally the same – only the color and the background (light/dark) changed. The main light source remained identical.
A key workflow advantage: shooting directly in Capture One with easy live adjustments during the shoot. This results in images practically "out of camera." Extensive post-processing is unnecessary – contrast, shadows, and highlights are only minimally adjusted, complemented by the Colour Chrome look directly from the camera.
Camera settings: Fuji GFX100S II, 80 mm, f/4.5, 1/160 s. The setup worked flawlessly.
The combination of classic portrait lighting and colored background accents created a modern, high-quality aesthetic – perfect for contemporary portfolio and beauty shots. The images appear clean and professional, but the colored accents give them a special touch.
This efficiency in setup allowed maximum concentration on the model and creative image composition, instead of constantly adjusting the light.
LED continuous lighting in sedcard photography: Efficiency meets flexibility
While flash lighting was long the standard, continuous LED lighting is conquering people photography – and for good reason: The live preview instantly shows how the light looks, models can adjust their pose directly and see their own lighting. This speeds up the workflow enormously. With app-controlled RGB lighting, background colors can be changed in seconds – multiple looks in one session, without any set changes. Battery operation allows for flexible location changes without tangled cables, and the constant light creates a more relaxed atmosphere, especially for inexperienced models. Experience shows that planning looks in advance, keeping the setup simple, and shooting tethered saves time. Direct feedback via Capture One or Lightroom shows immediately whether the images work – live adjustments replace hours of post-processing. If the light is right, retouching is hardly necessary.
Modern approaches to sedcard photography
This shoot demonstrates that professional portfolio photos aren't created with bulky equipment, but rather through clever lighting and an efficient workflow. Compact LED continuous lighting with app control and a wide range of colors allows for quick look changes – ideal for the demands of modern portfolio photography.
The combination of live preview, flexible battery operation and easy operation creates new possibilities: Less setup time, more focus on the essentials – the model and the image effect.
For photographers specializing in portrait and portfolio photography who value mobility and efficiency, compact LED continuous lighting offers a modern approach. Ultimately, it's not the size of the equipment that matters, but the quality of the results.