GrandmaG wrote:
This is excellent advice and I very much appreciate your response. This is exactly the kind of information I need. I will be buying at least two lights, maybe a smaller modifier or beauty dish and a better light stand with a turtle base. I will probably sell one or two of my speedlights. You mentioned that high wattage lights may not be all that good. Is 400 W enough? Also you said smaller modifiers might be better. My 43" soft box may be too large then. I also have a 43" and a 45" umbrella. I definitely had a problem keeping the reflections off my granddaughter's glasses; but, I didn't associate it with the large modifier. I was more concerned with the large pupils, no catchlights, and not being able to see the light.
This is excellent advice and I very much appreciat... (
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OK- Continued!
400 w/s in good enough, again, provided you can power down the unit when required. One popular method among portrait photographer is "Ceiling Bounce Fill"- In a room with white or -ff-white walls and ceilings you bounce on of your lights off the area where the wall meets the ceiling in back of the camera. at a high setting, this will provide an all-over fill ligh. I large white umbrella can work as well- fairly high and at zero degrees, right on the camera/subject axis. You establish an f/stop (say for example f/5.6). Your main ligh with a smaller umbrella or a soft box (24" maximum) makes for a good mail light. If that light is operating at f/8. f/11 or f/16 you have various rations of 1:2 to 1:3 or more. If you want less depth of filed you reduce all of the lights accordingly.
EYEGLASSES: Depending on the prescription and the shape of he lenses, sometimes you can just raise the ligh slightly or tip the glasses very slightly downward and avoid reflections and still ligh the eyes sufficiently- the latter works only in a full-face shot where you don't see the temples of the frames. My favorite method, with glasses, is to either remove the lenses form the frames or borrow a similar frame for your optometrist or optician. This way, you can place the lights wherever you need to and not worry about reflections, magnification or de-magnifications of the eyes or tints etc. The subject look perfectly natural with their glasses in place.
Don't sell your speedlights- you can use them, in conjunction with your mono-lights where you don't need precise placement- such as background lights. You can place 2 of them in you ceiling bounce set up- it is a fixed light and once you set it up, you don't need to readjust it and you won't require a modeling light. Then you have 2 free mono-lights- one as a main and the othere as a kicker.
The ceiling fill or fixed umbrella bounce system has many advantages. You only have you main light's to adjust, The fill ligh is out of the way and gives you more floor space. It is high enough not to reflect in eyeglasses but it will still provide fill for the orbital areas of the face.
A simple flash exposure meter is a good investment to assist in setting up exposures and ratios but testing is still necessary to fine tune your system. There is an element called unseen secondary light, especially present with flash usage. It is the extraneous light bouncing around the room and adds to the volume of fill illumination. additional fill light. level. Testing will determine the exact ratios including the additional fill. .
In a studio-like situation you only need one radio trigger to synch with the lighting system. Most mono light have built in old-fashioned photoelectric slave cells that will react to your main radio triggered light. If your lights don't have build in slave cells, they are obtainable at reasonable prices- much less than radios. Pocket Wizards are great bu t the are especially noted for operating at great distances. less expensive radios systems are available- you lights are only a few feet away from the camer and each other. A colleague of mine has the Buff radio slaves and uses them for sports coverage- they work very reliability.
Make certain that your light stands are tall enough and stable- I like the Monfrotto models that extend to 13 feet in height. They have wide tripod type bases and good casters. If space is an issue, however, heavier stand with a smaller based might be better. A hair light requires a boom stand.
I m off to a job now- I will post few basic diagrams tomorrow.