Lighting Problems. Need help Now!!

[GeneralBenson]

Those work lights really aren't ideal for portrait photography...but that doesn't mean you can't use them. One of the problems is that the light is rather hard and it's difficult to soften the light because these halogen devices get extremely hot, so any diffusion material has to be far away from them.

I can't seem to get the lighting correct without shadows or a flat image

Can you tell us more about what you are trying to do? As in, what do you consider to be 'correct'?

Trying to get both still and video lit up enough to eliminate shadows in the back, and get a good clear image of the subject(s) that isn't too dim, and that makes the subject(s) stand out more so, not as flat looking is the best I can describe..

If I understand you correctly, you trying to eliminate the background shadows by adding more light to the subject? Can't happen. The only things that will controls how the frontal light puts shadows on the BG is the size of the light source, and the light to subject vs. light to background ratio. Either use something to diffuse and soften the light source, which would in turn be making it a larger source, or keep the subject and light the same distance apart, but move them both much farther from the wall. That will also give you a very dark or black wall, though. The best answer perhaps, especially if done in conjunction with the first two, is to get a third light, and shine it only on the background to effectively cancel out the shadows cast by the other lights.

 

[LearnMyShot]

Try diffusion tissue or bounce one light off of a white card....One side should be brighter than the other so start with one light...get that where you want it then add the next light...I have a tutorial on this to see if you want and it's free LearnMyShot - learn how to photograph anything keep shooting!

Thanks for the self promotion.

Hey General - I thought my link was highly appropriate. Here is one of my tutorials that show: How to photograph a model using inexpensive clamp lamps which are very similar in light quality to work lamps. And it's a free video.