talk2thomas Loc: Chelmsford, England

I have looked at your picture of your set up, there are a number of suggestions that I would like to offer.
I would do one at a time to get a good image, First set up a teddy bear in the chair and move the light to the left hand side, then check the white balance on your camera. (was it set to flash and the lowest iso?) This will give you more room to move the light back as distance from light to subject is critical. Then I would look at the power of your light, if its adjustable then turn it down to reduce the amount of light. If not clip a piece of greaseproof paper/muslin/ect over the front of your light so its diffused.
Use your modelling light to get what I call the magic triangle. The triangle from the width of the eye down the cheek should match the edge of the shadow from the nose.
You most adjust the angle to subject and height of light to achieve this. Then use of a reflector below and to the right would help as a fill in reflector.(I am a cheep skate and use a foil cut from a six pack of crisps stuck onto an a4 card from the back of a pad held in place with crocodile clips)
set your your camera flash in commander mode or use a small strip of black electrical tape over your built in flash with a clear drinking straw(cut to length) taped horizontally to trigger your flash with no light going to the subject.
These are a few practical tips that mey help you get your head round lighting.

Tom

Dr Rae Loc: Sarasota Florida

Thank you so much for the detailed response. I will try these suggestions!

nikonesian Loc: Midwest USA

This site could help...

http://www.zvork.fr/vls/

jfantasma

Check out this website it is very informative

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/portrait-lighting.htm

Lucian Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio

I would suggest you purchase what is called a "Shoot Through" white umbrella and use that. You would not bounce light into it but rather, as the name implies, actually shoot the flash through the umbrella.

This will give you the soft light you are after, close to what a soft box would do. Also I would not suggest bouncing into a silver umbrella there are too many specular highlights. You would be better off with a white bounce umbrella and be sure not to point it directly at your subject. With such light sources and soft boxes, you ALWAYS use the edge of the light o fall on your subject, never the middle of the light source.

jmoon

I think there is too much deep shade can't edited in kid neck and top clothes.Please try white cloth and back light

Coker Loc: Havana, IL

The shadow is because the subject is too close to the background. Move the boy away about 2-3 or more feet, depending on room size. The other shadow would by my guess the flash is not syncing with your flash. Most will sync up to 200 unless your flash will allow you to go higher. It looks like you are on a budget, which is think is GREAT. We can make some awesome photo on next to nothing. Light diffusing or bounce light is much better.. try a white poster board for reflection. I see a several good comments. Let us know. Smile Bob

gilbert Loc: Melbourne, Fl

You might set up a toy animal about the size of you subject as a prop on your set to work with distance, lighting and exposure control. You wont have to worry about a live subject moving around and you can do that when you are alone to prevent distractions from friends and family members.
If you pictures are too small try increasing the picture size to large. Then you have many options on selecting an area and copy then paste into a new picture. I do that before I resize any picture I want to work with so I don't loose the details.
A musician asked a cab driver "Do you know how to get to Carnegie hall ? " The cab driver said " Practice, practice, practice."

CD Photo Loc: St. George, Utah

Use one umbrella as a key light. Have another umbrella as a fill. A hair light, very diffused and high and some background light. Lets see. Thats four lights instead of one. If you can only afford one light, (speed light) I'd be doing the shots outside with a reflector.