Did some reading and gave it another shot C&C- hope this is better!!

[andynrach]

Okay, so I've been reading and practicing my lighting since yesterday. I still don't know how the numbers on my lights translate into stops on my light meter, but these are the latest. Yes, these are my daughters, they are free labor and they don't laugh at me when I stub my toe on my lightstand. So far I have determined that I really am going to take the suggestion and go seamless. It's the clean look I'm going for and this white (yes it's white) muslin is just not doing it for me anymore. This is my set up:

I have three monolights. Two are 400w, with settings ranging from 2.0 to 6.0, adjustable in .2 digital increments. I usually put 42" sheer white shoot through umbrellas on these, but today I took them off in an effort prevent lighting from going all over the place. My 100w has a 23" square softbox on it with a white sheet in the middle to prevent a hotspot of light in the center of the square. This light is not digital and adjusts with a dial from 1/8 to 1 with little clicks in between.

1. Today, I started with just the softbox, to the right of the camera and pointed directly at her at a slight downward angle. This was my result. Cropped and color adjusted to remove pink/purple hue. (white balance was on flash, should have kept it on auto?) I don't have a kalvin for my lights.

5963edit by andynrach, on Flickr

2. Tried a few more set ups with a reflector and achieved a 2:1 ratio. I then tried backlighting her in order to give her hair life and also blow out the background to get that clean white look. Meter read 11 on the camera right side of her face, 8 on the left. I ran out of cookies, lollipops, and ponies so I panicked a little and forgot the correct the camera stop for the new set up. Camera was at 6.3. *facepalm* Maybe I can correct this overexposure in RAW....

6002edit by andynrach, on Flickr

3. Gathered my wits about me and called in my second string....readjusted my lighting. Meter read 8.0 on right side of face and 5.6 on left....a 2:1 I believe? Her dress is blown out on the right due to the light in back of her. What would be your suggestion to avoid this? Is it as simple as scooting her forward just a bit, moving the light to angle just a little more behind her, do I need a gobo, or perhaps a snoot or honeycomb to prevent light from spilling? Any suggestions? Also, the reflector on her left side is showing in her eyes a little and is distracting. Do I avoid this by having her raise her chin just a bit or is my reflector angle wrong?

6016edit by andynrach, on Flickr

As always, thank you so very much. This will be my last C&C for a bit, I promse, as I will be recovering from my surgery tomorrow. Thank you all for your feedback and precious knowledge. I hope you all know I appreciate the help and guidance and value everyone's opinion. I really am trying....

 

[sbakewell0508]

getting even light is the hardest thing to do imo on white muslin... when i shoot my kids on white muslin i set one softbox up on the right and a barn door on the left facing the background (i would prefer to use two softboxes, but i don't have that many) so i watch my modeling lights to see where the light is hitting and i try to get it even.. i move them a back and try to even them up (i work in a small space) for my subject lights i have an umbrella that i shoot into or i could shoot through it if i wanted, but again space is limited. (i use this as my key/main light) then on the other side i set that mono light with a softbox up a few stops down. my background lights are alot of times higher so that they blow the background out. i try and pull my subject as far away from the background and lights to avoid spill, but because of my small space it really is no avoidable, but i try to minimize it. i still get the muddy grey of the white, but for the most part it is lighted evenly, so that i can adjust the levels/curves in post later. if i had a bigger space i think i could blow the background out.

anyways thats how i try and get the best lighting for my white muslins.