Dress Up - Second go at OCF, first go with the softbox

[ronlane]

Not really, no. I remember seeing a lot of her photos that are more of a high key look and I believe I remember her saying that she likes that look. If you were to turn the power down from full to 1/2 or 1/2 to 1/4, I think she would get the look that she likes.

 

[cgipson1]

But the wb isn't right, that bg is pure white.

Background are only pure white.. if you light them to be pure white.... you can't base your subject exposure on what you want your background to be.... lol!

Did you light the background separately?

Nope, one light set up here There was a tiny bit of fill from 90 degrees subject left. I'm new to the OCF world, so I appreciate the help

If you want a pure white background, you have to light the background separately. Usually overexpose the background 1 to 1.5 stops.

You light the subject separately... and expose based on what you want the subject to be exposed at... the background will take care of itself.

Like this...


Yes.. My Eyes are Green! by CGipson Photography, on Flickr

 

[cgipson1]

Here is a good link I've moved the blog ?> zackarias.com/blog » White Seamless Tutorial :: Part 1 :: Gear & Space

 

[Derrel]

An 8"x36" softbox is really a tough,tough choice to work with as a main light...the light it is casting is very hard. The right-hand side of her is blown out, and then just a few inches away, you have a pretty substantial shadow that appears to be easily the width of the baby's body...the degree of fall-off is pretty steep, considering the range might be ten f/stops.

I would not use a strip light like that as a main light source from that angle at that distance; the rapidness of the fall-off is simply terrible. Look at the boys: from nuclear blown out, to inky black chin shadow, within a 6-inch span.

I am guessing you are using speedlights, which have no modeling lights, or you would literally "see" the issues in real-time.

 

[squirrels]

Here is a good link I've moved the blog ?> zackarias.com/blog » White Seamless Tutorial :: Part 1 :: Gear & Space

I want to click on the link, but I can't look away from the cat's eyes!

 

[jowensphoto]

An 8"x36" softbox is really a tough,tough choice to work with as a main light...the light it is casting is very hard. The right-hand side of her is blown out, and then just a few inches away, you have a pretty substantial shadow that appears to be easily the width of the baby's body...the degree of fall-off is pretty steep, considering the range might be ten f/stops.

I would not use a strip light like that as a main light source from that angle at that distance; the rapidness of the fall-off is simply terrible. Look at the boys: from nuclear blown out, to inky black chin shadow, within a 6-inch span.

I am guessing you are using speedlights, which have no modeling lights, or you would literally "see" the issues in real-time.

You are correct on all points, except (and I should have said this), the boys were shot with the speedlight/shoot-through umbrella combo. My daughter was the only photo with the softbox.

Is there a way you'd suggest using it? I have one photo of her, when she ran close to the camera and light; it created some very dramatic shadows. Do you think overhead, using the white bg/floor as a reflector, would be a better use? I know these are often used a hair lights.

 

[jowensphoto]

One more before I head out:

 

[Derrel]

Well, common advice goes like this: "The closer the light, the softer the light." Well, in one manner of speaking that is true, but in another manner, it's utterly wrong. If a light is very close to a person, the rate of fall-off is EXCEPTIONALLY RAPID, as in the shots of the boys...from exceedingly over-bright, to full, detail-less shadows--within just, literally, inches.

On the shot of the baby: the light is close enough that one side is overexposed, so I'd say move the light farther away, which will make the degree of fall-off from one side to the other very minimal.

A light that is 8 inches wide x 36 inches tall demands very critical aiming, and at close distances, it is going to light up some areas, and other areas are going to..."go dark". I'd be tempted to bounce the flash off of a wall as a main light, rather than use a strip box as a single,main light. Doubly so if I had to work with no modeling lamps to guide me and allow me to preview the lighting effects.

When using a small light source, or a hard light source, the exact, precise placement of the key light in relation to the subject is critical. Even a little bit off, and you can easily plummet directly into the catastrophic failure zone, much of the time.

 

[cgipson1]

An 8"x36" is a specialized softbox.. usually used for specifically lighting certain areas as a key light (fill), not usually used as a main since it is not wide enough. It throws out a thin slice of light... unless you put it far enough away, and then the light is hard...not soft. They are sometime used for very dramatic, contrasty lighting on a subject... but mostly as specific fill.

You need a bigger "box" if you want a decent main light... Whatever possessed you to get a box like that to learn with? Look at the light pattern on the photo above.. not even wide enough to cover an toddlers chest....

 

[frommrstomommy]

jess, creative live just had a mastering ttl episode if you will and its rebroadcasting now. i was watching some of it to try and just see how ocf is/can be done.

 

[cgipson1]

jess, creative live just had a mastering ttl episode if you will and its rebroadcasting now. i was watching some of it to try and just see how ocf is/can be done.

TTL is never as accurate as manual flash.. but when properly used, can produce good results...

 

[frommrstomommy]

jess, creative live just had a mastering ttl episode if you will and its rebroadcasting now. i was watching some of it to try and just see how ocf is/can be done.

TTL is never as accurate as manual flash.. but when properly used, can produce good results...

The only speedlight I have is manual anyway.. lol but I was more watching just to see how they make use of multiple lights.. placement, etc. That's honestly the most intimidating part of it all to me.. how to set everything up.

 

[kundalini]

Yeah, the strip box is more of a specialized accent modifier. Great for lighting a wine bottle, not so much for a human, regardless of size.

For a speedlight, consider something in the 24x24" size and double baffled.

 

[tirediron]

It's virtually impossible to do high key with a single speedlight. It's easy with two however, and YNs are cheap & cheerful... treat yourself! Here's the way I would have approached this using just a single speedlight: Place the light just slightly camera right, say no more than fifteen degrees, use the shoot-through umbrella, NOT the strip-box, as Charlie said, that's a specialized tool, and raise the light so that it's pointing at a slight downward angle, say <20 degrees. Bring the subject out from the background. A LOT! I like 8-10' of separation; if you can't acheive that due to space, get as much as you can.

 

[kundalini]

Like this John?

Sorry but I already had this on camera left and at a greater angle than John mentioned..