cake smash aaaarrrrggghhhhh!!!!!!!

[FoggyLens]

So if Im understanding your working with only 2 speed lights? Do you have 3? I would try to do a back light then maybe a hair light then your key light then maybe use a reflector for a fill and place him on something white to kinda of help with the under shadows? maybe? lol If you only have the 2 lights then I would minus the hair light?

 

[RockstarPhotography]

yea, I only have 2 lights at the time. one of my speedlights is out for repair, and the other I can't trigger off camera with my current setup.

Were not using umbrellas or anything because we want that harsh light, kinda a rock and roll feel to the lighting i guess. I was playing around with some stuffed animals after the kid went to bed last night and i think I got it down now. only problem is were putting down a white bedsheet since this will be done on carpet and can't really get the wrinkles out since it is on carpet. oh well.

 

[FoggyLens]

O suck! hmmmmm how old is he? theres gotta be something hard and white and cheep you could put him on.. lol... let me think.. lol.

 

[FoggyLens]

Would a HUGE peice of card board work with some white poster board taped on to the top? You could edit out any seems?

 

[RJT]

yea, I only have 2 lights at the time. one of my speedlights is out for repair, and the other I can't trigger off camera with my current setup.

Were not using umbrellas or anything because we want that harsh light, kinda a rock and roll feel to the lighting i guess. I was playing around with some stuffed animals after the kid went to bed last night and i think I got it down now. only problem is were putting down a white bedsheet since this will be done on carpet and can't really get the wrinkles out since it is on carpet. oh well.

Keep in mind the white sheet will kick some light back up....put it down and do some more test shots

RJ

 

[RockstarPhotography]

I thought about bringing up a 4'6' sheet of plywood and stapling the sheet to that, but i don't feel like hauling it up 3 flights of stairs and trying to mangle it around my apartment!!!....


I know the sheet will kick light back up, thats the good part of it, I have to put my light really high to keep from getting a harsh shadow behind him, but in doing that it creates hard shadows under his eyes, nose, and chin. the light kicking back up fills in those shadows. Kinda like the classic clamshell lighting.

oh, he's 1!!!!

 

[FoggyLens]

Awwww how fun 1st bday! Im sure you'll get it worked out! Can't wait to see the lil rock star!

 

[ghache]

There a couple pictures of what i did during one of my buddys daughter first birthday party.

i dont have the picture to post but www.photographybyguillaume.ca under the portrait section, its the first 2 photos.


the only thing i did was to bounce my sb-600 on the ceiling with an aurora bounce card for fill. its works really good indoor.
no need for stands and flashes all over the place imo.

 

[RockstarPhotography]

There a couple pictures of what i did during one of my buddys daughter first birthday party.

i dont have the picture to post but www.photographybyguillaume.ca under the portrait section, its the first 2 photos.


the only thing i did was to bounce my sb-600 on the ceiling with an aurora bounce card for fill. its works really good indoor.
no need for stands and flashes all over the place imo.

I've done that too, but i'm trying to get the background to fall to black so flashing off the ceiling isn't an option. thanks though!

 

[kundalini]

I have to put my light really high to keep from getting a harsh shadow behind him, but in doing that it creates hard shadows under his eyes, nose, and chin.

That's because your main light is too high of an angle. I betcha you get no catch lights either. This is never a good look IMO, unless you're going for macaber. Bring it down to ~45° angle.

 

[RockstarPhotography]

I have to put my light really high to keep from getting a harsh shadow behind him, but in doing that it creates hard shadows under his eyes, nose, and chin.

That's because your main light is too high of an angle. I betcha you get no catch lights either. This is never a good look IMO, unless you're going for macaber. Bring it down to ~45° angle.

doing that creates a horrible shadow on the ground because he will be sitting on the ground and there's no fall off on the light that close.

 

[kundalini]

Well then, it's really a matter of picking your poison if compromises have to be made. But I have to ask an important question....... which is paramount to you, lighting your childs' face properly or shadows that show behind him?

Let's rethink this.

Its going to be kinda a harsh light rock and roll theme so i'm using speedlights with no major modifiers. I have a snooted one coming in from behind stage right, and one with a just a diffuser comming in from the front stage left.

You don't say what kind of diffuser, so I'm guessing a pop-on dome diffuser directly to your flash head. Let that be your fill light. Place it pretty close to lens axis an above the camera. This will be used to fill in the shadows created by your main/key light. So now you have another light and a snoot. Do you have any other light modifiers? Cause if you use the snoot, it will be very directional lighting and only spotlight your son. So with that, I'd suggest to use the flash bare if no other modifiers are available. Set the flash head to a fairly wide zoom and 1-1/2 to 2 stops brighter than your fill. Also place the main/key 30° to 45° camera left or right and angled ~45° down. Of course, the further away from your subject, the harsher the light (and shadows) will be because it will be a smaller light source. You may als want to feather the main/key light so that 1) the hotspot isn't directed solely on your son and 2) it will hit the background to help light it

<got a phone call, still talking... she won't stop talking....have lost my train of thought>

 

[RockstarPhotography]

Well then, it's really a matter of picking your poison if compromises have to be made. But I have to ask an important question....... which is paramount to you, lighting your childs' face properly or shadows that show behind him?

Let's rethink this.

Its going to be kinda a harsh light rock and roll theme so i'm using speedlights with no major modifiers. I have a snooted one coming in from behind stage right, and one with a just a diffuser comming in from the front stage left.

You don't say what kind of diffuser, so I'm guessing a pop-on dome diffuser directly to your flash head. Let that be your fill light. Place it pretty close to lens axis an above the camera. This will be used to fill in the shadows created by your main/key light. So now you have another light and a snoot. Do you have any other light modifiers? Cause if you use the snoot, it will be very directional lighting and only spotlight your son. So with that, I'd suggest to use the flash bare if no other modifiers are available. Set the flash head to a fairly wide zoom and 1-1/2 to 2 stops brighter than your fill. Also place the main/key 30° to 45° camera left or right and angled ~45° down. Of course, the further away from your subject, the harsher the light (and shadows) will be because it will be a smaller light source. You may als want to feather the main/key light so that 1) the hotspot isn't directed solely on your son and 2) it will hit the background to help light it

<got a phone call, still talking... she won't stop talking....have lost my train of thought>

The snooted light is comming in from behind as a seperation light. My main light is using the pop on diffuser. I don't think i will have problems with shadows on his face because the white sheet he will be sitting on will act as a reflector filling in the shadows. I haven't done any tests with him, just his stuffed animals but they look good now that I moved the light further up. Its not super high, just a foot higher then I would normally position a light. I don't want any light on the background as i am letting it fall to black.

didn't get the chance to do the smash tonight, kid was super tired and cranky when my wife got home. probably tomorrow