Lightning Research - Alec Soth

I think the lightning of this picture is the result of a combination of flash and sever artificial light sources. There possibly be some side lamps hung on the side walls or perhaps a chandelier that we cannot see. The shadows and the reflections are very sharp and the flash is probably bounced on the ceiling. The aperture used must be quite wide, in fact the foreground and the background are blurred, leaving in focus only the subject's level.

This picture as well is a combination of flash and artificial light. The flash is not direct (there are no reflections on the glasses) but it is bounced on the ceiling. In fact the woman's forehead and the bottom of the picture frame are bright.

Combination of natural light, artificial light and flash. I think the photographer used an external flash from the left, as the reflections suggest. I don't think he bounced the flash on the ceiling.

Natural light

Natural light, probably from a window. Very soft shadows.