toptrainer wrote:
I am very new at photography, I am able to take good pictures outside, at parties, landscape etc. I am trying to get into taking portraits at my house and I am having trouble with the lighting. I have a Canon T3i, a Canon 430ex 2 Speed Light, a Canon 28-135 mm ultrasonic lens, a Canon 50MM lens, 2 lights with umbrellas with 45w 5500k 110v, and a back light (same bulb), a 10x12 backdrop with Black, Green and White material. I also have an off camera flash release and an extra umbrella with a silver inside and a black back. I should have everything I need but I cant get the lighting correct, maybe its the position of the lights ( are those lights bright enough?). The position of my flash, or the settings on my camera. If anyone can help with some good ideas I would really appreciate it. This picture info: 1/40 sec; f/5.6; ISO 100
I am very new at photography, I am able to take go... (
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OK - This lighting requires a dark background. Few things worse than a wrinkled white background anyway. If you go white it must be with no detail.
I'll come back to that. I think the lights are perfect for what we would call a low-key image. That is one in which there are relatively dark shadows - BUT it needs a dark background. Looking at the nose shadow, I think your main light is about the right spot. You could do with a small amount of fill close to the camera and just a bit higher than the lens. This needs to be a stop maybe stop and a half less light than the fill as measured AT the subject. Just enough to soften the shadows a bit and put some catchlight in her eyes. A reflector over to camera left and no more than about 30 degrees or so off the camera-to-subject axis could also work well. In any case, a fill light never casts any shadows, that is the job of the main light.
You have what is known as a mixed-key image - subject and lighting is low-key, background is high key. Not a horrible thing, but one should know the rules before breaking them so when you DO break them it is for a reason - not a mistake.
Let's get back to the background: If you go white, that is high key and you need to light the background so that is is just a bit brighter than the subject - 1 to 1 1/2 stops usually works well. NO DETAIL in the white. THEN you generally want to light the subject a bit flatter (more evenly - not so much shadow). Subject then would wear lighter clothing - whites and pastels.
Try this: exact same image with the same lighting but use that black background. Her hair may well blend into the background since she has dark hair, but the flower in the hair should help. Forget the hair light for now. Get good images with ONE light - may one and a reflector - before adding a second light. Trust me- if you cannot get good images with one light, adding more is not the answer.
Always get that umbrella as close to the subjects as you can, that will give the softest light. The shadows I see are a bit hard - not horrible, but getting the umbrella closer will give a more gentle highlight-to-shadow transition.
I do not think you need more light - exposure on her face looks perfect.
It is easier to show sometimes than to describe. Here is an example of each.
quote=toptrainer I am very new at photography, I ... (