NSFW - Lighting Issues

[RyleaPhotography]

Hey folks, without getting into too much about the shoot, I found the lighting challenging because of the walls. Everything looked orange/redish in all the shots. They look okay if I convert to b/w but I'm curious to know if anyone has some lighting options/suggestions for these types of shots.

Thanks

 

[Derrel]

Orange or reddish could be the camera's Auto White Balance causing that. Secondarily, the walls look to be reddish, and that can also influence things by reflecting,well, reddish light. Suggestion would be electronic flash bounced off of a big white panel, or fired into an umbrella to create a large source of soft lighting.

 

[nickgillespie]

The walls are red, reflecting red, combined with (I'm assuming) any tungsten lights that you have on in the hotel room. You're in a no-win situation there. Those red walls are like 2 giant red reflectors.

 

[KmH]

Plus the photo was shot using 'mixed lighting', or multiple light sources that have differing color temperatures.
White balance doesn't work well with mixed lighting even if you don't use it in Auto mode.

The major light source is the light from the window, which by the way is way over exposed causing some harsh highlights on the side of her face closest to the window. There is a second light source, the lamp, is lighting part of the wall.

Light quality, light direction, and light source color temperature are paramount considerations when making portrait type photos of people.

Direction & Quality of Light: Your Key to Better Portrait Photography Anywhere
Off-Camera Flash: Techniques for Digital Photographers
On-Camera Flash: Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography

Strobist: Lighting 101

• Making the Most of Natural Light in Photography (NEW)
• Portrait Lighting with One Light: Introduction
• Portrait Lighting with Two Lights: Fill Light

 

[JoeW27]

Okay, as others have pointed out, the red walls will tint the light that bounces off...you basically have a giant red reflector. You've got a couple of options here.
1. Shoot in a different room that doesn't have red walls.
2. Shoot in RAW and go in and adjust the WB (which will make the model look paler most likely and will produce some stark B&W shots--potentially lovely if you're shooting art nudes but cold if you're shooting in color).
3. Find some way to get as far away from the red wall as possible (thus minimizing the redish tint).
4. Overpower the red tint by using strobes or speed lights bounced off of a white (not golden) reflector or umbrella or off of a white ceiling.
5. Put up a scrim over the window (to soften the light) then get the model as close to the window as possible.