My Wife (Santa's Naughty List)

[shadowlands]

My Wife (Santa's Naughty List)

OK, my muslin is wrinkled real bad. I know.
I should have taken the time to correct that either before hand or during post processing.
But about the lighting... how bad did I do? I know it's real bright... honestly like it that way. I'm shooting with bounced lighting and two shoot-through umbrella strobes...


My Beautiful Wife (Christmas) by db digital, on Flickr


My Beautiful Wife (Christmas) by db digital, on Flickr

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[mwcfarms]

I would use one of those strobes to light up your background to give it a clean white look and help eliminate her shadow on it. Im not digging the lighting on one. Her face has a couple of hot spots. Posing I like the second best.

[shadowlands]

I would use one of those strobes to light up your background to give it a clean white look and help eliminate her shadow on it. Im not digging the lighting on one. Her face has a couple of hot spots. Posing I like the second best.

Thanks for taking the time... yep, I need to improve with my lighting.
And you may be right with lighting up the background with one of my strobes... I'll try that next time.

[y75stingray]

your lighting is pretty flat.I would use one light on the background and set the other light to one side and skim it across your subject. if oyu find that to be too dramatic add a bounce card to the oposite side of the skim light.

[shadowlands]

your lighting is pretty flat.I would use one light on the background and set the other light to one side and skim it across your subject. if oyu find that to be too dramatic add a bounce card to the oposite side of the skim light.

Excellent. Will do. I'll try that for sure.
Now I can't wait to get back to it.
I've learned a ton from trial and error and asking questions.
Thanks!!

[gsgary]

Your background will need 2 lights 1 from each side flagged to stop spill

[mwcfarms]

Your background will need 2 lights 1 from each side flagged to stop spill

Hey gsgary so what do you do if your limited to only having 2 strobes for your background. Im in the same predicament myself and can't afford to buy another just yet. Is there a way to cheat this?

[y75stingray]

Your background will need 2 lights 1 from each side flagged to stop spill

This is true if your going for an all white background

[y75stingray]

Your background will need 2 lights 1 from each side flagged to stop spill

Hey gsgary so what do you do if your limited to only having 2 strobes for your background. Im in the same predicament myself and can't afford to buy another just yet. Is there a way to cheat this?

Paper absorbs alot less light than muslin i would try a white paper background in place of muslin and you might have better luck with just one light but two is ideal for high key backgrounds

[kundalini]

But about the lighting... how bad did I do? I know it's real bright... honestly like it that way. I'm shooting with bounced lighting and two shoot-through umbrella strobes...

Your lighting is very flat and does not benefit your wife. Could you be more specific about your setup. Where was the bounced light and the two umbrellas positioned? It looks as if your main light was camera right, but not enough of a ratio with the fill, which canceled any chance for creating a shadow side.

As gsgary mentioned, hit the background with two lights about 1-2 stops brighter than the subject to change the grey to a white. Also, by cross lighting the background, the wrinkle shadows will cancel themselves.

Then with your main light feathered across the subject and a reflector opposite, you should be able to achieve a nice contrast from light to shadow.

A couple of comments on the posing. Have her to project her chin forward. This will help reduce those extra lines that will only increase as the years go by.

Both shots have football shoulders. Have her turn her hips 30-40°. Keep the head tilt as you have, towards the high (feminine) shoulder.

I like that she bends what bends, keep that up. Try to avoid splayed fingers. Try to avoid having female hands square to the camera.

Increase the distance (if possible) from subject to background. 6' is a good start.


Have fun....... but that's a silly comment. No doubt you were.

Just my 2¢.

[shadowlands]

But about the lighting... how bad did I do? I know it's real bright... honestly like it that way. I'm shooting with bounced lighting and two shoot-through umbrella strobes...

Your lighting is very flat and does not benefit your wife. Could you be more specific about your setup. Where was the bounced light and the two umbrellas positioned? It looks as if your main light was camera right, but not enough of a ratio with the fill, which canceled any chance for creating a shadow side.

As gsgary mentioned, hit the background with two lights about 1-2 stops brighter than the subject to change the grey to a white. Also, by cross lighting the background, the wrinkle shadows will cancel themselves.

Then with your main light feathered across the subject and a reflector opposite, you should be able to achieve a nice contrast from light to shadow.

A couple of comments on the posing. Have her to project her chin forward. This will help reduce those extra lines that will only increase as the years go by.

Both shots have football shoulders. Have her turn her hips 30-40°. Keep the head tilt as you have, towards the high (feminine) shoulder.

I like that she bends what bends, keep that up. Try to avoid splayed fingers. Try to avoid having female hands square to the camera.

Increase the distance (if possible) from subject to background. 6' is a good start.


Have fun....... but that's a silly comment. No doubt you were.

Just my 2¢.

Wow... thanks for taking the time...
Man, that's a lot of advice for free... thanks!!
I've only got two umbrella strobes currently, but I might get a third, one day, but not for a while...
I had both of my strobes on either side of my camera... on her... my living is small so I don't have the space I truly need... boo!!!

[shadowlands]

I just ordered a third strobe! Yippee!
And I also learned what I was doing wrong.
I had my speedlight synced incorrectly. Was using my two strobes as slaves to my bounce light. Only one slave was synced! I messed with it tonight... and BAM!!! Got it!!! Next time, I'll be on the money!!!
Thanks everyone for taking the time...