Shape with light

Light does not only to illuminate subject in photography, it also shapes it.  This image, taken with SONY NEX-5 with 18-55 zoom (stretched to the longest end for this shot), the studio light set up ws Protofo, triggered with the compact flash of the NEX-5.
The 2 main light was used to illuminate the model while 2 auxiliary lights for the background.  The main subject, the model, was lit to exhibit the skin tone very close to the background so the model will look a lot lighter (she was no way close to heavy to begin with), as she can almost float in the air. Here the contrast was also reduce to give the picture a soft tone, while maintain a visble shadow on the body so it does not look too flat.
The photographer here has to make the decision before the shoot, and to set up in such wasy so the final image can be achieved, although some might argue that post production can also achieve similar result, true!,  But as a working professional, you simply does not have that much time, and such luxury to rely on post production all the time.