In studio lighting setup for large family portraits

[IronMaskDuval]

So I am going to be shooting my in-laws this coming weekend, and it'll be my first time shooting in studio with lights. I'll get to experiment with the different lights, but I'd like help with where to start. Here's a setup that I found that was pretty simple and straight forward. Is this a good start? I am guessing because lights will be everywhere, and I'll have someone who will be able to hold a reflector that I won't need fill flash. Any pointers would be much appreciated.

 

[PWhite214]

A little more information would help. Are you renting a studio space with all the equipment?

Phil

 

[IronMaskDuval]

A little more information would help. Are you renting a studio space with all the equipment?

Phil

Yes, I am renting a studio and have access to the studio's equipment and whatever aperturent has to offer. I don't want to over complicate things on my first go around working with studio lights and a time budget.

 

[PWhite214]

That sounds nice. I would like to do that one day, my living room is a bit cramped. I am just learning, but I have two lights with umbrella softboxes (Brolly) setup now.

With two lights and my very patient model Bear:





That lighting setup should give you good results. I cannot see needing a reflector.

Phil

 

[IronMaskDuval]

That sounds nice. I would like to do that one day, my living room is a bit cramped. I am just learning, but I have two lights with umbrella softboxes (Brolly) setup now.

With two lights and my very patient model Bear:

View attachment 69554



That lighting setup should give you good results. I cannot see needing a reflector.

Phil

The bear is a good sport. I wish my kids were the same. What about off camera flash for hair lighting? Being a large group, should I have one on each side, or does that cause directional confusion?

 

[Braineack]

That sounds nice. I would like to do that one day, my living room is a bit cramped. I am just learning, but I have two lights with umbrella softboxes (Brolly) setup now.

With two lights and my very patient model Bear:

View attachment 69554



That lighting setup should give you good results. I cannot see needing a reflector.

Phil

are you suggesting this is good results? Cause what I see is horribly flat, uninteresting lighting that removed all depth from the bear and a lighting setup that's not going to be flattering for a family portrait. Unless you're taking a picture of a family portrait.


I would personally be looking more into a Key/fill/rim light setup.

 

[PWhite214]

Here you can see more of the setup.



The brolly's are about a 45 degree angle 5 feet from the subject.

I am going to have to try setting up the center light when I get time. I would probably try placing the right and left lights as shown, center of the light approximately eye level. The center light I would raise above the camera, tilted down.

Phil

 

[PWhite214]

"Cause what I see is horribly flat, uninteresting lighting that removed all depth from the bear"

I agree on the flat lighting, now I can do limited experiments with different levels, moving the lights a little, etc.

These are my thoughts as I learn.

Phil

 

[tirediron]

That lighting could work for that group, depending on the levels, or it could produce un-attractive highlights on the outsides of the two children. Personally, unless you want this to look like a police line-up, I would bring the children in front of the adults, turn everone at 45 degrees, use the big soft box as key, and a smaller one, just off axis as fill, at least as a starting point.

 

[Mach0]

That lighting could work for that group, depending on the levels, or it could produce un-attractive highlights on the outsides of the two children. Personally, unless you want this to look like a police line-up, I would bring the children in front of the adults, turn everone at 45 degrees, use the big soft box as key, and a smaller one, just off axis as fill, at least as a starting point.

+1 and maybe a box off to the side and behind for a kicker

 

[Braineack]

quick google search results for alternatives for group lighting:

see all's well shoot: Stephen Poff's Blog
Portrait Shoot using Westcott Spiderlites | Westcott University
Complex, Three-light Setup | Popular Photography
Andrew Morgan - Workshop 2 (Studio): Jayama and his delightful Sri Lankan family
Through the Looking Glass


here's an intersting writeup on the first lighting setup suggested: Speed Lighting Danica | PixSylated | Syl Arena's Photography Blog on Light & Imagemaking

It's still really boring lighting, but I like how it shows how much a hairlight helps. You can see how much the faces flatten out and then you're left with competing shadows across the chest. I personally think fig7 looks pretty good if maybe they gelled the flash to warm it up.


I shot my family and myself using a two-light key/fill setup in Dec. I spent very little time planning (it was spur of the moment), or setting this up, but I thought the results weren't bad for what it was:



The lighting setup was like this, a simple two light Key/Fill:



same setup, just my mom and her dogs:

These are my thoughts as I learn.

I'm just learning as well, take all my thoughts with as much grain as you want.

 

[Designer]

What about off camera flash for hair lighting? Being a large group, should I have one on each side, or does that cause directional confusion?

I think having balanced light with one on each side would cause (directional confusion ?) flat light.

Your idea of a hair light might help. If you want to try it, tilt the speedlight sideways to take advantage of the widest spread, and flag two sides sort of like barn doors. Make sure it is pretty high up.