studio set up: What size umbrellas do you use for full length shots and small groups? I am switching to 60" from 45" as the bottom half of the subject is not evenly lit. Just...

canon Lee

What size umbrellas do you use for full length shots and small groups? I am switching to 60" from 45" as the bottom half of the subject is not evenly lit. Just interested in what is used in studio shots.

CO

I've been using 40" reflective and shoot through umbrellas. What's interesting is that the size of the umbrella doesn't change the coverage. It has an effect on how soft or how hard the light is. There's a video online by the Slanted lens called Umbrella 101. They tested 36", 45", and 60" umbrellas. The size of the umbrella didn't change the coverage.

http://theslantedlens.com/2013/umbrellas-101-photography-video-tutorial/

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

While I think that the info in CO's post is probably correct, back when I had a studio, I stacked two 36" square umbrellas vertically to create a 72 X 36 umbrella.
It worked well for me probably because of the softer light rather than coverage.

canon Lee

CO wrote:

I've been using 40" reflective and shoot through umbrellas. What's interesting is that the size of the umbrella doesn't change the coverage. It has an effect on how soft or how hard the light is. There's a video online by the Slanted lens called Umbrella 101. They tested 36", 45", and 60" umbrellas. The size of the umbrella didn't change the coverage.

http://theslantedlens.com/2013/umbrellas-101-photography-video-tutorial/

Interesting. Goes against my logic. thanks. I notice that only half the full figure shot was evenly covered, in that the top half was exposed correctly and the bottom half was noticeably darker. I take full length shots of my subjects and have one umbrella set above eye,( tilted down at a 45 degree angle), level and the other umbrella set lower. My histogram shifts to the black side and when editing, the reds are elevated due to the exposure being so dark. BTW I photograph children and as you know they don't have much skin tone, so I keep the white side of the histogram just short of full. All in all when Post editing, the Blacks need to be lowered as well as the shadows, and the WB backed off towards the blue to compensate for the saturated reds. So I just ordered 2) 60" umbrellas. Im hoping that the blacks will be less dense.

canon Lee

rwilson1942 wrote:

While I think that the info in CO's post is probably correct, back when I had a studio, I stacked two 36" square umbrellas vertically to create a 72 X 36 umbrella.
It worked well for me probably because of the softer light rather than coverage.

Your experience is more like my understanding of soft light coverage.

CO

canon Lee wrote:

Interesting. Goes against my logic. thanks. I... (show quote)

I'd be interested in knowing how the light from the 60" umbrellas will be. Maybe you could post again and compare the light output from the 45" and 60" umbrellas. In the video, they use all of the different size umbrellas at the same distance from the wall. They put lines on the wall so they could see how far the light spread out.

canon Lee

CO wrote:

I'd be interested in knowing how the light from the 60" umbrellas will be. Maybe you could post again and compare the light output from the 45" and 60" umbrellas. In the video, they use all of the different size umbrellas at the same distance from the wall. They put lines on the wall so they could see how far the light spread out.

Yes I will let you know the results of the bigger umbrellas. I will position them in the same way. I will know the difference just by looking at the histogram. I will also test by using different levels of output from my mono light. I might even try different distances & umbrella heights away from the subjects. I feel there can be a difference between actual results and tests. BTW, I do youth sports clubs, where I set up backdrops, 2) AlienBees, subjects placed about 6 feet from backdrop and 5 feet from the mono lights, mono lights spaced about 6' from each other. Any suggestions of any changes would be most welcome. The prints turn out very well since I do post editing.
Again CO, my goal is to light up the full figure subject evenly.

frank98

I have used 43" and 60" white umbrellas with the black backing , and have gotten full coverage .
I use the standard 7" reflector But I have the lights about 8 ' when possible from the client.

elee950021 Loc: New York, NY

canon Lee wrote:

What size umbrellas do you use for full length shots and small groups? I am switching to 60" from 45" as the bottom half of the subject is not evenly lit. Just interested in what is used in studio shots.

The problem could be caused by several reasons. Your umbrella(s) is/are too close to the subject. The angle of your umbrella(s) is/are too steep. Or both! Personally, I use a 40" umbrella at an approximate 30-degree angle to the subject with the center rod of the umbrella pointed at the subject(s') midsection resulting in even coverage for a full-length pose. Make adjustments, raise, lower or change angle as necessary! Pitfalls include lack of room height to raise the umbrella to the "proper" angle and lack of distance to subject and room for placement of light stand(s) and umbrella(s). One other thing is to check to see that your lighting units, be they strobes or bulbs are at the right distance and centrally pointed at the center of the umbrella. A larger umbrella might not be the answer! Cheers! Ed

canon Lee

frank98 wrote:

I have used 43" and 60" white umbrellas with the black backing , and have gotten full coverage .
I use the standard 7" reflector But I have the lights about 8 ' when possible from the client.

Thank you for your input Frank

canon Lee

elee950021 wrote:

The problem could be caused by several reasons. Yo... (show quote)

Thank you Elee, I will certainly take your advice. I will move the umbrellas back a bit and check the histogram to see if the mid tones get closer to the center.

CO

Here's one thing that could help. When I purchased my Paul C Buff strobe, I also purchased their model 7UR umbrella reflector. It has a 180 degree spread of light and will fill an umbrella with light from edge to edge. I took some test shots of my shoot through umbrella using both a standard reflector and the umbrella reflector. I made sure the strobe wasn't firing so bright as to cause clipping. I could see that with the standard reflector, the central portion of the umbrella was well illuminated but it got dimmer out to the edges. With the umbrella reflector, the umbrella was illuminated all the way across. I don't know what make of strobe you have. I think other manufactures also have umbrella reflectors.

(Download)

canon Lee

CO wrote:

Here's one thing that could help. When I purchased... (show quote)

I am using AlienBees 1600. I put the slider 3/4 the way.

canon Lee

CO wrote:

Here's one thing that could help. When I purchased... (show quote)

I am taking your advice and have just ordered the 7UR reflector. Thank you.