Background Lighting

[orangemorning]

I have a shoot that will require background lighting. What kind of lights should I use? Continuous Tungstun? Strobe? I'll be shooting with a strobe for the subject if that helps. Thanks!

 

[Digital Matt]

Then use a strobe for the background. It's no fun trying to color balance between two types of light, nor is it easy to balance the exposure. One 400ws light should be sufficient to light a portrait background. A softbox would be a good option to diffuse the light on it a bit.

 

[orangemorning]

are there any examples of what mixing lights look like out there that you know of?

 

[Digital Matt]

An example of mixed lights would be anything shot outdoors in sunlight, preferably in the golden hour near sunrise/sunset, with strobes or hotshoe flashes used for fill.

 

[orangemorning]

Can I just use filters over the background light? or strobe? I think it could be cool to mix, I don't really know the exact outcome, that's why i wanted some examples before i buy. Also the guy at the photo store was really trying to sell me on getting all strobes but didn't explain filter usage, digital, photoshop etc...that could make up for discrepencies.

 

[Digital Matt]

You are better off getting the image correct in the camera, and not relying on photoshop to fix color in balances. In this case, it would involve masking with adjustment layers, and all that is very time consuming, when you can just shoot with strobes in the first place. Yes, you can use filters over lights, but the output of most tungsten continuous output lighting is far less than a strobe, and if you put a filter on it, you'll reduce it even further. It doesn't make sense. Just use strobes.

I assume you have a flash meter, so it will be very easy to setup.