How to get results like this?

[mudddog]

Hi, I'm wondering what type of lighting setup and camera settings are needed to get results like this pic?

http://www.partyfolio.com/r5so/s1-Picture+1.html


I have a D200 with an SB800 flash, and a nice tripod. I don't have any studio lights yet, but want to take some pics of my son.

Thanks so much!

 

[JIP]

This doesn't look too overly complicated as far as lighting but you might need to brush up on using lighting modifiers and getting your flash off-camera and mabye adding another light. A good place to figure out how to do this without studio lights would be http://strobist.blogspot.com/ .

 

[Sandspur]

That shot was most likely taken in a studio with a seamless b.g. and a large umbrella with an electronic flash - behind, above and to the right of the photographer. Notice where the reflection is in the baby's eyes.

If you have a light stand and umbrella you can approximate this setup with the 800 in the umbrella in slave mode and using Commander mode on the D200. (Unless, of course, the D200 doesn't have Commander mode. Frankly, I don't know. My D100 doesn't. But my D80 does. In that case use the 800 off camera with a cable and a diffuser.)

Having a room with a white wall and a white ceiling will help.

Also notice -- this shot was taken using a large aperture for a shallow DOF, so that the baby's eyes and cheeks are in focus but the shoulder is not.

Taking pictures of kids requires you to anticipate, prepare and be ready. They won't sit still for long, so getting a really great shot or two out of an entire session is a pretty good average.

Oh, and one last thing: Forget the tripod. Wear knee pads and old clothes ... and be prepared to get down on their level and move around quickly.

 

[JerryPH]

You already have everything you need to go off camera flash.

The backdrop, as mentioned, could be just a sheet... personally I would prefer a darker colour to make the light coloured baby stand out more, I am not all that impressed with that pic.

Watch the DOF, make sure its shallow enough to blur the background, but deep enough to get ALL your baby in focus.

Focus on the eyes, they are the windows to the soul.

Forget the tripod... at least for the camera, use it to support your SB-800.

Spend some time on www.strobist.com