Can we discuss a 3 way lighting setup?

[jwbryson1]

I finally got my 3 speedlights, umbrellas and radio slaves in my hot little hands and this weekend I want to shoot some portraits with all 3 lights. I've read about key lights, fill lights, hair lights and background lighting but my question is specifically with background lighting.

I propose a set up with 1 umbrella as a key light, a piece of reflective white plastic for fill light and one speedlight for hair lighting.

Background lighting -- dumb question. Are we literally talking about aiming the third speedlight directly at the black muslin backdrop or using an umbrella to reflect light onto the backdrop? Won't that make the muslin backdrop "appear" in the photos when what we really want is for it to be totally blacked out?

How is the backdrop lighting set up?

Thanks.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

There are so many options its crazy.

Here's a link for some start ideas: Lighting Techniques: The 3 Light Set Up | Pixiq

 

[mwcfarms]

If your shooting on black and your using a hair light to separate the person from the backdrop you probably shouldnt have to worry about lighting the background I would think. Make sure your person isnt wearing dark clothes helps.

I use the same setup quite frequently but when I light the backdrop I am gelling it to change the color from black to dark red, purple, blue, dark grey etc. Have you checked the strobe thread? If you were doing white you want to light it for that pure white. I am interested to see what others say.

 

[mwcfarms]

Ok now I have a question about the image in that link. Isnt that lighting flat? I know its not a bad thing to have flat ligthing just curious.

 

[jwbryson1]

Yeah, I know there's a ton out there--I was looking on strobist.com and youtube but you don't always get the hits you want. I did find this link on youtube which was pretty good IMO:



I was just wondering what "real" people in this forum do when they shoot versus some guy from BFE who's uploading to Youtube.

 

[Rephargotohp]

Ok now I have a question about the image in that link. Isnt that lighting flat? I know its not a bad thing to have flat ligthing just curious.

Yeah what he talks about and what he shows are two different thing and he certainly isn't using a high Key/Fill ratio.

But flat lighting is pretty common on models because it doesn't highlight any bad skin that more textural lighting can. Depends on your art

 

[mwcfarms]

Youtube is dangerous lol. I went there searching how to use my light meter and dramatic lighting etc. You have to be selective with what you see on there. Some people say light meters you dont need them etc blah blah, some people say this, some say that.

Ill check that video out thanks. Been playing with my lights in studio this week trying a bit of this and that. Once I am done will have to post some for people and see what they think.

 

[jwbryson1]

Youtube is dangerous lol.

My point exactly. :hug::

 

[GeorgieGirl]

I think Dee has the right information in her post to keep it simple.

White is a difficult BG to light as white and evenly and can often require a 4th light. There are ways to get around it but I wouldn't start with white first.

I have only three a three light setup too.

 

[mwcfarms]

It was a really good video, simple easy to follow. Thanks for the share.

 

[Derrel]

Ok now I have a question about the image in that link. Isnt that lighting flat? I know its not a bad thing to have flat ligthing just curious.

You know, the above-linked article is EXACTLY the type of thing that is wrong with the world wide web as far as learning. The guy does not know jack $h!+ about lighting, or about lighting diagrams!!! This is a case of a newbie writing an article, and being in wayyyyyy over his head. YES DEE,THE LIGHTING ON HER IS TOTALLY FLAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! But, there is much,much worse in the article!

He talks about a Main and Fill light, and then sets up two lights that CANCEL ONE ANOTHER OUT TOTALLY.Good God....there is no "fill"...this is simple, bad, cross-lighting. And, flat as heck. Words do not match the lighting--at ALL! Yes,Dee, the lighting is FLAT!!

Look at the bottom diagram, showing using an umbrella camera left, and the a round reflector aimed at the subject's face, with the beam of the main light MISSING THE REFLECTOR!!! The way the reflector is set up screams "Newbie!!!" It is 100%r wrong,wrong,wrong,wrong!

That is the MOST_COMMON NEWBIE blunder--positioning a reflector where it will not do jack SQUAT!!! zOMG...zOMG...zOMG No,no,no, a thousand times NO to that last diagram.That diagram is utter,total,unmitigated B.S.! If you were to follow this dunderheaded diagram, and set up lights as shown in his last diagram, and expect "fill" from a reflector positioned that way, you would be sorely disappointed. His entire,basic location or position of the fill reflector in relation to the main light, show that he is utterly,totally ignorant. I hate to come off as being so agitated, but that diagram is flat out idiotic. Just "wrong". I cannot emphasize enough how much disconnect this article shows between the pictures, and real-world, proper BASICS!!!!

I do not want to make 2wheel feel bad for suggesting this article, but the words, practices, and lighting diagrams in that web-based article are NONSENSE.The lighting on the model in shot one?=Yess, Dee, the lighting is flat as a pancake. There is no "shadowing" to make her face have any shape...but the bottom lighting diagram showing how to position a reflector to create fill lighting----------ARG!!!!!!! No,no,no,no! That reflector will provide almost zero fill at that angle: a reflector must be positioned so that it "CATCHES THE LIGHT", and bounces it back toward the shadowed side of the subject! Again, this is the kind of nonsense that anybody with an internet connection can upoload. Without the filter of editors, or somebody who actually KNOWS how to light properly, we get people who use these new, automated lighting diagram creation apps, and created totally WRONG, even STUPID,nonsensical diagrams, and then write articles as if they know what's going on...

The guy who slapped that article together does not know squat. He's a total hack. I am POSITIVE,absolutely POSITIVE, that he has zero training from any professional or even book source.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

You won't make me feel bad at all, as i said a million options on 3 lights and i googled.

 

[mwcfarms]

Well at the end of the month I am taking a full day course on lighting, studio and outdoor and some posing thrown in there by a working professional who has been in the business for 30 years. I really want to push myself to the next level with lighting and I am constantly struggling with it being flat. Hopefully when I come back from it I will have a better idea.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Well at the end of the month I am taking a full day course on lighting, studio and outdoor and some posing thrown in there by a working professional who has been in the business for 30 years. I really want to push myself to the next level with lighting and I am constantly struggling with it being flat. Hopefully when I come back from it I will have a better idea.

I'm attending studio lighting and studio lighting advanced semesters at my local university, I hope to learn a little too. I suspect I'll never know as much as these forum elders =)

 

[mwcfarms]

Nope me either lol but there are a few on here who I am comfortable enough with sending my retarded questions and work to say hey is it ok or is it ****. Lol. I'm a visual learner through doing. Youtube is great but I find myself learning so much more when its hands on demonstration where I can stop and ask questions etc. Good luck with your class.