More from my live in model C&C please!

[MissCream]

Now that my best friend is now my tenant I can shoot whenever I want I recently was given a couple backdrops so I decided to test one of them out. They are a really thick stretchy material, one side of them is super shiny and the other is flat. I used the flat side of it but I was wondering could I potentially use the white back drop on the shiny side kind of like a reflector for more light? I'll give it a whirl later today

I found I was getting a lot of weird shadows that I cannot explain.. I have no clue where they were coming from.

Well here is what I got anyway, I am really awful with lighting and I find myself guessing a lot of the time and moving them around a lot. I guess that's how I'm going to learn eventually!

I also noticed there are parts of the background that I need to fix so please try to ignore them

Lighting set up,
Main light camera right about 45 degrees, back light camera let about 90 degrees on floor pointed up at backdrop (I didn't have the stand for it).

1.

Untitled by Ms. Cream, on Flickr

2. Weird shadow on her face! NO clue what it is from.... The backdrop is wrinkly, I know.

Wrinkly backdrop! by Ms. Cream, on Flickr

3.

Untitled by Ms. Cream, on Flickr

4. Eyes are too blue from the processing style.

Untitled by Ms. Cream, on Flickr

Thanks for looking!

 

[Robin Usagani]

it seems to me your back light is too strong. It seems you have direct light from the back light and it is casting shadow on your subject. For example her shoulder on her face. Get your self an umbrella.

 

[MissCream]

it seems to me your back light is too strong. It seems you have direct light from the back light and it is casting shadow on your subject. For example her shoulder on her face. Get your self an umbrella.

Oh okay, I have two umbrellas and two soft boxes but I didn't use any of them for this :S
I'm re-shooting later today

 

[HomelessBoy]

Good attempt, but in my opinion, I don't particularly like #2 because of the shadows and the way that the model is not filling the frame. Also, she looks like she is floating in mid-air and I don't think that's the effect you want.

By the way, you should also edit out the flash on her sunglasses (wearing sunglasses indoor!?)

I think the best two are #1 and #3. Looking forward to be seeing more of your photos.

 

[tirediron]

I agree with Schwetty, but I think the main problem was lack of modifiers; look at the harsh shadow on her right forearm in #1. Try again with your key light at the same angle, but raised so that it's shooting down on her slightly through an SB, and find a way to get your fill up to shoulder height. What was your ratio here?

 

[MissCream]

Good attempt, but in my opinion, I don't particularly like #2 because of the shadows and the way that the model is not filling the frame. Also, she looks like she is floating in mid-air and I don't think that's the effect you want.

By the way, you should also edit out the flash on her sunglasses (wearing sunglasses indoor!?)

I think the best two are #1 and #3. Looking forward to be seeing more of your photos.

I agree about number 2, it is by far my least favourite and the one I needed the most C&C on so thanks! I'll try editing out the catch lights on the glasses but I kind of like it there, none the less I'll still see how it looks without them there. And yes, sunglasses inside, it was a photoshoot, anything goes, you may want to sit down too because it was also at night :lmao:

 

[MissCream]

I agree with Schwetty, but I think the main problem was lack of modifiers; look at the harsh shadow on her right forearm in #1. Try again with your key light at the same angle, but raised so that it's shooting down on her slightly through an SB, and find a way to get your fill up to shoulder height. What was your ratio here?

Thank you for the tips! I'll post the re-shoot later The ratio is different in all of them, I just freely cropped them in LR (If that is what you mean by ratio).

 

[tirediron]

Lighting ratio, as in: how many stops less was your fill than your key?

 

[MissCream]

Lighting ratio, as in: how many stops less was your fill than your key?

Lol sorry, I have no name ebay strobes, one was turned all the way up and one was turned all the way down... I don't know how to tell exactly how maybe stops different they were.

 

[HomelessBoy]

It is certainly 'Made in China'.

 

[Big Mike]

Lol sorry, I have no name ebay strobes, one was turned all the way up and one was turned all the way down... I don't know how to tell exactly how maybe stops different they were.

That's where a flash meter comes in.

I agree with the others. I think your lighting is too hard and too contrasty. Use your umbrellas & softboxes, that's what they're for. :er:

Now of course, there is a time & place to use hard lighting and/or high contrast ratios...but it should be something that you do on purpose, to achieve a certain look that you're after. And actually, shots like these...hip/cool/funky/edgy...might be a good time to use harder lighting....but you have to be more careful and precise when using hard lighting.
Using modifiers like umbrellas, besides giving you nice soft portrait lighting, are more forgiving of your light placement etc.

 

[MissCream]

Lol sorry, I have no name ebay strobes, one was turned all the way up and one was turned all the way down... I don't know how to tell exactly how maybe stops different they were.

That's where a flash meter comes in.

I agree with the others. I think your lighting is too hard and too contrasty. Use your umbrellas & softboxes, that's what they're for. :er:

Now of course, there is a time & place to use hard lighting and/or high contrast ratios...but it should be something that you do on purpose, to achieve a certain look that you're after. And actually, shots like these...hip/cool/funky/edgy...might be a good time to use harder lighting....but you have to be more careful and precise when using hard lighting.
Using modifiers like umbrellas, besides giving you nice soft portrait lighting, are more forgiving of your light placement etc.

Thank you for the reply, I have always used my modifiers this was the first shoot I did without them, I was going after a contrasty look but after this I think I should learn the basics before attempting this style again

 

[Big Mike]

If you have plenty of time & patience (and your model has the same), then it is maybe a better learning tool to use hard lights (no modifiers) because it will force you to be more precise with your light placement & posing etc. Just like how some people learn about exposure by jumping right into using manual mode. You make plenty of mistakes but hopefully you learn from them quickly.
Using umbrella's etc. is safer, but that probably won't force you to learn as quickly.

On the same point, many photographers will say that it's best to learn portrait lighting with just one light. Most of the basic portrait lighting patterns can be achieved with just one light. Heck, all you need is a mannequin head and a desk lamp (plus time & patience).
Once you have a good handle on the light patterns, then you can introduce fill light and start thinking about lighting ratios. Then you can work on background lighting, hair/accent/kicker lighting etc.

 

[DiskoJoe]

it seems to me your back light is too strong. It seems you have direct light from the back light and it is casting shadow on your subject. For example her shoulder on her face. Get your self an umbrella.

Oh okay, I have two umbrellas and two soft boxes but I didn't use any of them for this :S
I'm re-shooting later today

aha!

 

[MissCream]

If you have plenty of time & patience (and your model has the same), then it is maybe a better learning tool to use hard lights (no modifiers) because it will force you to be more precise with your light placement & posing etc. Just like how some people learn about exposure by jumping right into using manual mode. You make plenty of mistakes but hopefully you learn from them quickly.
Using umbrella's etc. is safer, but that probably won't force you to learn as quickly.

On the same point, many photographers will say that it's best to learn portrait lighting with just one light. Most of the basic portrait lighting patterns can be achieved with just one light. Heck, all you need is a mannequin head and a desk lamp (plus time & patience).
Once you have a good handle on the light patterns, then you can introduce fill light and start thinking about lighting ratios. Then you can work on background lighting, hair/accent/kicker lighting etc.

Lots of time and patience. I'll try a few things tonight and follow the advise from everyone, hopefully they will turn out better! I'm still a bit confused about lighting with a black backdrop!