Studio Lighting Help

[minutephotos.com]

I just read a article on studio lighting and understand what I was doing wrong. Even though I am using 2 lights I was still getting flat light by lighting side to side and fill too bright.

I am going to try using a softbox close to and slightly to the left of model. I will use a reflector panel or white board for fill to the right of model. I am going to move my second stobe to the rear and use either barn doors or honey comb. If I am using the seamless white paper I willuse gels to give color to backdrop. If I am using my seamless black backdrop I willuse secondstrobe as a hairlight.

I am looking for light modifies that will work well with Smith Victor hotlamps.

[flint350]

While it may sound counter-intuitive, gels provide a better colorization on medium gray (mottled) or even darker backdrops. Even black (though it is a light sponge, requiring higher output) will colorize with gels.

[minutephotos.com]

While it may sound counter-intuitive, gels provide a better colorization on medium gray (mottled) or even darker backdrops. Even black (though it is a light sponge, requiring higher output) will colorize with gels.

Yea, someone else was just telling me that. The article says use a white background, but experienced users have suggested otherwise. I would love to try colorizing black or medium greyseamless paper. This does make sense, white paper would take a lot of color to make the white not be dominant.

So what I have discovered, is I probably really want to get two more stobes to complete my collection. When I first started this adventure people told me you needed at least two heads and a light meterto get started.

Now I realize to really make exciting photos and increase creativety 4 heads really work nice.

1. Main Light (Softbox or large Umbrella)[/*]
2. Fill Light (shoot through umbrella, or direct no diffuser but reduced power)[/*]
3. Backdrop light (good with honeycomb or barn doors and gel holder)[/*]
4. hairlight or back lighting to seperate model from backdrop (snoot with honeycombs to control circle size).

[/*]
My main and fill will be AB800 the other two will be AB400's. I baught all my lights one at a time so I went the expensive route. Had I known better sooner I would have purchased a complete package I would hve gotten more for my money.

[Frank Doorhof]

Hi,
Black paper is wonderful if you want colors.
White is also nice but works totally different.

See here, same setup but changing between black and white.





You can also play for example with red and red gels that will give a very powerful image which I LOVE.



Greetings,
Frank

[minutephotos.com]

Black paper is wonderful if you want colors. White is also nice but works totally different

Yea, I like the way that looks. On the 1st and 3rd shots are you using another strobe to highlight hair or is that reflecting off the backdrop for the hair highlights?

Could you tell me how the lights are possitioned and what diffusers you used?

I like both the white and black backgrounds. I don't understand why people recommend not using white with gels yours looks great.

Can you do this with Muslims at all or are single color paper better?

I also like the models reflection off the floor, that is real nice. It is the second place your eye focuses, like looking at two different pictures.

[Frank Doorhof]

Hi,
My setup changes per photo.
But most of the time with white I use 2 flashes with reflectors on the background, on the blueish one I changed one for hairlight and one with a filter.

On black I normally use NO flashes on the background but leave it black.

Your question on paper vs muslims.
I have just got my white vinyl background and am not pleased AT ALL.
You cannot get the same straight background like you have with paper, so blowing out is no problem but getting the blue on the background is a dissaster, you will see the wrinkles in the backdrop.
So for that I will have to use my wall which is pure white thank god .

For black stick with blackoutcloth (that's amazing), if you want colors with black use paper, and for white stick with paper.


Greetings,
Frank

[KENNETHD]

I must say I do find this interesting. I'm looking forward to the day when I can understand all of it. I am just begining to experiment with lighting. Very illuminating...(truly) Best regards,

KennethD

[minutephotos.com]

For black stick with blackoutcloth (that's amazing),

What is blackoutcloth, I've never heard of this? I assume it absorbs light and therefore color, is that why you use black paper (reflective)?

You do amazing work with two strobes... I need to learn how to use reflector panels.

I will be purchasing a Canon 580ex soon. I am hoping to use this and my 420ex to add a little additional placementlight with AB's. I need a better on camera flash than 420ex(slow recycle) and I wasn't hot on the 550ex ortheSigma 500dg super.

Eventually I will upgrade to Drebel with Canon 20d, so I might as well start collecting assesories now. I will have two AB800 and Canon's wire E-ttl system, master slave combo for on the road or asseseries with studio strobes. I think Canon E-ttl wireless beats AB's Vagabon for mobile.

I have not been able to locate good diffuser systems or gels for ttl flashes or hot-lamps, any suggestions.

[Frank Doorhof]

Hi,
Blackoutcloth is a sort of muslim but totally black it absorbs the light.
I use it together with Black paper just what effect I want.

Greetings,
Frank

[minutephotos.com]

Thank you, I will pick some of some up as soon as I find a distributer...

Always looking for new techniques to try out. Everyone, helps make my photography just that much more exciting.



Patrick