Strobe Lighting Attempt
Sep 23, 2013 20:50:51 #
I have been working with strobes for a short period of time. Recently I purchased a light meter which really helps achieve the proper exposure. Here is a picture of my son, my beau, and a couple of self portraits when I had no other subjects.
Please let me know what I can do to improve the lighting and overall shot.
In the one of my beau and the shots of me there is a shadow; how can I remove it? Backlight?
In the shots of me, I cut off the feet and there is an orange cord on the floor. I found it very challenging being both the photographer and subject...
The of my son I like very much. He insisted on holding a bottle of gatorade in the shot which I cropped out.
Please have at it. I appreciate your comments that will help me grow as a photographer.
Thanks.
Fran
Please let me know what I can do to improve the lighting and overall shot.
In the one of my beau and the shots of me there is a shadow; how can I remove it? Backlight?
In the shots of me, I cut off the feet and there is an orange cord on the floor. I found it very challenging being both the photographer and subject...
The of my son I like very much. He insisted on holding a bottle of gatorade in the shot which I cropped out.
Please have at it. I appreciate your comments that will help me grow as a photographer.
Thanks.
Fran
Sep 23, 2013 21:15:00 #
Hi Fran! Not bad for a first try. A lot better than I could do. Anyway, A light against the background to eliminate the shadows would help. I like the one of your son Is good but perhaps a hairlight? I don't know. Google and the people out here can fix you right up in about 10 seconds.
Tom
Tom
Sep 23, 2013 21:30:05 #
tainkc wrote:
Hi Fran! Not bad for a first try. A lot better than I could do. Anyway, A light against the background to eliminate the shadows would help. I like the one of your son Is good but perhaps a hairlight? I don't know. Google and the people out here can fix you right up in about 10 seconds.
Tom
Tom
Thanks Tom! I think a backlight would help. A hair light is also a good suggestion.
Sep 23, 2013 21:46:14 #
A back light would definitely help with the shadows. Hair lights are great too. The biggest thing when using a hand held light meter is to place it right in front of the subjects face it get the most accurate reading. I like to play a bit with the main and side light to create different shadows on the subject. You can also place the subject farther away from the back drop. There are many videos and books out there to help out. The one of your son is great.
Sep 23, 2013 22:09:59 #
hibaldone wrote:
A back light would definitely help with the shadows. Hair lights are great too. The biggest thing when using a hand held light meter is to place it right in front of the subjects face it get the most accurate reading. I like to play a bit with the main and side light to create different shadows on the subject. You can also place the subject farther away from the back drop. There are many videos and books out there to help out. The one of your son is great.
Thank you. This is very helpful info. The diagram is great!
Sep 23, 2013 22:14:02 #
Here is another photo to help get ideas. This was just a two strobe set up we also used a reflector in some shots.
Sep 23, 2013 22:18:25 #
Here is a result of this particular set up. There are still shadows but not as bad.
Sep 23, 2013 22:25:52 #
hibaldone wrote:
Here is another photo to help get ideas. This was just a two strobe set up we also used a reflector in some shots.
Very nice shots. How big is the softbox? It looks really big. I also like how the background extends farther on the floor compared to what I have.
Sep 23, 2013 22:26:13 #
Sep 23, 2013 22:26:19 #
hibaldone wrote:
Here is a result of this particular set up. There are still shadows but not as bad.
So pretty!
Sep 23, 2013 22:37:56 #
Thank you. You know I don't remember how big that one is. The ones I use the most is around 36 inch or so. The back drop is one big roll of paper that I like to use. You can also place gels on the back light to change the color of the back drop.
Sep 24, 2013 00:09:39 #
Fran -
These comments really apply to all the images EXCEPT the first one.
That awful shadow is simply a function of the subject being too close to the background. Subject has to be a good three feet AT LEAST from the background.
that shadow also shows your main light is too low as the shadow needs to go DOWN a bit and here it appears almost exactly horizontal. It also appears to be almost aligned with the lens axis as that shadow also should fall off to one side instead of right behind.
The man light is also too far away and is making very hard light - to get soft light, that main needs to be as close as you can get it without it being in the shot.
The first image is much better. The light appears softer and the BG is OOF. It would be more flattering if he were facing the other direction instead of lighting the broad side of the face, but that is a small thing. The light is still too low, however.
These comments really apply to all the images EXCEPT the first one.
That awful shadow is simply a function of the subject being too close to the background. Subject has to be a good three feet AT LEAST from the background.
that shadow also shows your main light is too low as the shadow needs to go DOWN a bit and here it appears almost exactly horizontal. It also appears to be almost aligned with the lens axis as that shadow also should fall off to one side instead of right behind.
The man light is also too far away and is making very hard light - to get soft light, that main needs to be as close as you can get it without it being in the shot.
The first image is much better. The light appears softer and the BG is OOF. It would be more flattering if he were facing the other direction instead of lighting the broad side of the face, but that is a small thing. The light is still too low, however.
Sep 24, 2013 00:17:46 #
You can remove a shadow with light by increasing the size of your light source. You really don't need a backlight.
The following shots were shot with an 86 inch umbrella and a 60 inch soft box for fill. both three feet from the subject. The larger the light source and the closer to the subject the more pleasing the light. My background was also about 6 feet from the subject.
Move your subject away from the background too. A lighter background will go grey if the subject is moved away from it...no shadow....
Your first image was the best of the bunch.
Oops was responding when Cliff was.
One point related to what cliff mentioned. The boy in the first pic is Broad lit. Light on the face is closest to camera. When a subject is short lit.. the shadow side faces the camera. I typically light short lit. The second picture of mine below is broad lit. It works when models are very thin but it still widened her face quite a bit. If the girl was heavy at all I would have never lit her this way.
It's a good point that Cliff made about the boy in the first shot. Short lit is better almost always.
Higher lights is also a good point.
The following shots were shot with an 86 inch umbrella and a 60 inch soft box for fill. both three feet from the subject. The larger the light source and the closer to the subject the more pleasing the light. My background was also about 6 feet from the subject.
Move your subject away from the background too. A lighter background will go grey if the subject is moved away from it...no shadow....
Your first image was the best of the bunch.
Oops was responding when Cliff was.
One point related to what cliff mentioned. The boy in the first pic is Broad lit. Light on the face is closest to camera. When a subject is short lit.. the shadow side faces the camera. I typically light short lit. The second picture of mine below is broad lit. It works when models are very thin but it still widened her face quite a bit. If the girl was heavy at all I would have never lit her this way.
It's a good point that Cliff made about the boy in the first shot. Short lit is better almost always.
Higher lights is also a good point.
Sep 24, 2013 10:32:28 #
Cliff and Russ are (as always) dead on. One additional comment is that your photos seem to be overly warm. In the last photo especially, he looks almost orange. You may want to get a gray card and set your white balance. If you tend to like warmer photos, start out with proper white balance, then add some warming in post processing so you have more control. (or shoot in Raw, and you can control it after the fact) I was glad that Cliff mentioned the distance to the background. That is the #1 problem I see when people are starting out.
Sep 24, 2013 12:36:01 #
I think you have some very nice shots here. The highlights on your husbands face are pretty blown out. It would help if you use a diffuser/softbox and move the lights closer to the subject.
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