OCF questions re: tomorrows shoot

jowensphoto · Jul 3, 2013

I am doing boudoir shoots tomorrow and will be testing my softbox in addition to the ambient light photos. I really want to add some "oomph" and I know flash is the way to go.

My plan is to use the black (though not black out) curtains in the clients home as the BG/floor. Then use my (strip) softbox to light her from the side for a fine art/bodyscape kinda deal.

I'm worried about setting the flash exposure and all that properly. I know to use manual, and given that it's a small room, I suppose start at the lowest "power" and see what happens? Then adjust power, aperture, exposure comp accordingly?

I'm probably way over thinking this as I tend to do that with everything.

here's a photo of her living room and bedroom. I'm thinking the living room will work better.

kundalini · Jul 3, 2013

What type of other light modifiers and light sources do you have at your disposal? Both rooms look like you might get some nice window light, particularly if they are facing north.

jowensphoto · Jul 3, 2013

kundalini said:
What type of other light modifiers and light sources do you have at your disposal? Both rooms look like you might get some nice window light, particularly if they are facing north.

Not entirely sure about the direction the windows face - I have some plans for those windows and coffee table

I have a shoot through and a reflective umbrella. The strip softbox is 36"x8" I believe, with a grid. I may fashion up some barn doors out of cardboard.

tirediron · Jul 3, 2013

Approximate your flash exposure using the speedlight's Guide Number and then fine tune with chimping. You can probably factor 2/3 - 1 stop loss for the umbrella & SB. Make sure you have your highlight alert ("Blinkies") on your rear LCD and check each lighting set-up to ensure you're not blowing anything. Conversely, keep a close eye on the shadows too and ensure nothing critical gets blocked up.

ronlane · Jul 3, 2013

Well Jess, if you don't know, then you probably shouldn't be........ (YES, I'm just joking with her.)

With these pictures, it is impossible to determine how the light is going to hit a model's body. Go back and do selfie's at each location and post them so we can help.

Big Mike · Jul 3, 2013

Shooting in manual should make it pretty easy.

Remember that to control the exposure from the flash, you have 5 factors. The lens aperture, the ISO, the power of the flash, the distance from light to subject, and any modifiers or filters.
So once you have the light into position, you could alter it's exposure by changing any of those factors...the easiest probably being the aperture or ISO. But keep in mind that both of those will also change your ambient exposure.
So to control just the exposure from the strobe/flash, you can change the power setting, the distance (or reduce power by blocking or diffusing it).

And because you'll be in manual mode, any change you make, will change the exposure of the photo by that much. So it may take a series of test shots to get it set right, but once you do...the exposures should be consistent until you change something.

A good way to go about it, might be to set your aperture for the DOF that you want, keep the ISO fairly low and then adjust the power of the flash to get the exposure that you want. This might be a PITA if the light is up inside a softbox though...so I wouldn't be afraid to tweak the exposure with small changes to the aperture & ISO.
Also, the exposure will get brighter, as the light gets closer to the subject (less as it gets further) but changing the distance will also change the softness of the light. For example, if you move the light further away, to reduce exposure, you will be making it a harder light. Again, don't be afraid to make small tweaks this way...but realize that it can be a big difference if you change the distance dramatically.

My plan is to use the black (though not black out) curtains in the clients home as the BG/floor. Then use my (strip) softbox to light her from the side for a fine art/bodyscape kinda deal.

Do you have a big light stand or maybe even a boom arm? For a bodyscape that is lengthwise along the body, the strip light should mirror the position that she's in. It might be most comfortable for her to be laying down, which may require that the light is above her, as opposed to beside her. Not strictly necessary, but a boom arm would help with that.

amolitor · Jul 3, 2013

You'll do great!

Make sure to build in time to really look at your pictures, since chimping is the name of the game. Maybe even set up a schedule of "shoot for a few minutes to test things, and then a 10 minute break" and write down a checklist of things to be looking at? That would help ME out, if I ever DID it, which I don't. Because I am Mr. Disorganized.

For the low-key bodyscape on black things, a little overexposure is better than a little underexposure! You can push detail down, but you ain't ever getting it back if you didn't shoot it.

jowensphoto · Jul 3, 2013

John - thanks. This reminded me how much I suck at math. Once I figured out the variables, it made sense. I've gotten myself a starting point, with my given GN of 43, to start with the light a little over 5 feet away, with an aperture of f/8 at ISO100.

Mike - I don't have a boom arm, but the SB does rotate on the mount.

tirediron · Jul 3, 2013

jowensphoto said:
John - thanks. This reminded me how much I suck at math. Once I figured out the variables, it made sense. I've gotten myself a starting point, with my given GN of 43, to start with the light a little over 5 feet away, with an aperture of f/8 at ISO100.

Sounds about right, don't forget to account for the modifiers, so I would probably start around f6.3 - 7.1.

Big Mike · Jul 3, 2013

If you are going for something like THIS, then You'd probably want her laying down, with the light (strip box probably) above and behind her (if her 'front side' is the side closest to you). So that's why I was thinking a big stand or boom arm...so that you could get the light above and behind her.
You could probably do something similar, with her standing and the light beside her...but that may be much less easy/comfortable for you.

On another note, I did a google image search for 'body scape' (probably should have been one word) and I noticed one of my photos in the top 50 or so. Turns out, it was from when I posted it in response to another of your threads. :lol: