Studio Learning

Kblc · Dec 18, 2009

I have been into photography for quite some time, but I am new to the studio. With no formal training, all I have picked up about studio lighting is from online research and, so far, scarce practice. Here are a few from the other day. Mind if I pick some brains?

1)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kblc05/4195478595

2)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kblc05/4195478463

3)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kblc05/4195478683

4)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kblc05/4196235704

keith foster · Dec 18, 2009

#2 and #3, the light seems hard and not flattering for the model.
In #2 the poor girl has a black eye. Maybe use a reflector in front of her to help with that.

IgsEMT · Dec 18, 2009

Choose one image, PM me or find me on aim IgsEMT and we'll talk about them. There's LOT to talk about

which is good

For some good tutorials. Go to Kelby's Training and watch David Ziser's series on lighting, posing and portraits.

Derrel · Dec 18, 2009

Welcome! Keep at it....you'll only get better.
Shot 1: a reflector for fill would help a bit. The shot's awfully dark and moody.

2: Her pupils are dialated really,really wide; more light in the shooting environment could help that.

3 or 4. On the horizontal shot of her, the lighting is sort of cross-lighting. The rim light on the left side of the frame is a bit hot, and the background's crinkles are being lighted by that light placed to the left of the camera, which makes the creases in the seamless paper stand out. When lighting seamless paper with a bare flash, you have to make sure the flash does not "rake across" a creased-up seamless, or it will cause the background to show its imperfections. I think the black background is a bit over-lighted,and would look better a bit darker.

Which brings me to the next area of comment: it's best to try and get the seamless paper well out of focus, and the subject in good focus. With an APS-C camera, shooting at small f/stops and short lens settings (18,19,20,24,30mm etc), the depth of field in most studio settings will be so deep that the backdrop itself will be almost in-focus under normal circumstances at smaller f/stops like f/8 to f/13, so it's best to try and keep the aperture a it wider, like f/6.3 or f/5.6 when using those short focal lengths.

It is difficult to "See" what one is doing when using speedlights, espcially at the early stages. You're doing okay so far, you just need to refine a few things and keep at it. Learning studio lighting using "Strobist" methods is more difficult and challenging than using studio lights with 250 watt quartz modeling lamps in them,so you're to be commended for your efforts.

Rather than working on the rim lighting, I'd suggest maybe trying to use a shoot through umbrella and a LARGE reflector immediately to the subject's left,opposite the main light, as a single-light source + reflector fill, and then using the second flash aimed right at the backdrop from the mid-back height of the subject,as a way to get a gradient backdrop, and not worrying too much about the rim lighting effect. Hair/rim lights need to be very,very subtle,and that's a place where just the smallest bit of light can be enough.

craig · Dec 18, 2009

The best advice is to understand what you are trying to highlight and convey in each shot. Take your time and shape the light. Experiment with light position reflectors and black cards. It is forever a learning process. Experiment, experiment, experiment...

Love & Bass