Elle Beth on Point (Patreon)

Below you'll find a video showing the lighting on this. 

I say this over and over at my workshops:
Forget about those set lighting guides. What counts is not whether you have a work lamp from Wallmart, a Profoto flash with an expensive modifier, or using light from a window.

It's about understanding how light behaves.

When I teach lighting I always say I have one rule. Light should have direction. It's coming from one place, and there is shadow on the opposite side. I don't care whether it's front, back side or whatever, the only thing I don't like it it's indiscernible without shadows. There is of course more to lighting than that but more on that another day.

The front window here serves more for softening the light from the main window, and the black Foamcore boards keep light from the room screwing up the contrast in the shadows.

The image is shot around f. 2.2 on an 85mm to suppress the background sharpness a bit.

People have said before that the face is too dark.
It's darker as my studio windows is not that tall, and there is a building across the road - which means the light come in at about a 30 degree angle downwards so there is less light on the face.
Would be super easy to lighten in Photoshop or Lightroom but I actually like the little bit of drama and mystery it adds.

BTS of Elle Beth

This particular image is shot during the next set de did just after the video (I preferred loose hair as a juxtaposition to the formality of the Pointe shoes).  And for the ballet aficionados out there; 'Yes I know but the sole of the right shoe broke'.