Setting up a photoshoot

[Holly]

I have been setting up a photo shoot.. Id like to take photos of my children. I have used black background and did a few tests...

Here is one... The photo looks flat I have heard?

Here are more that I did after the first one..

Now I know Im not a professional.. but id like to some day get there.. What am I doing wrong?? What can I do better to get photos that have more depth to them?


Thanks

 

[Christie Photo]

The photo looks flat I have heard?...What can I do better to get photos that have more depth to them?

Yeah... flat. Meaning no shaping. This is due to using ONLY the on-camera flash. To communicate shape, you need shadow. And, to have detail in the shadow, you need light there too. Sooo... the short answer is you need multiple lights. One to create the shaping or "modeling," and one to fill the shadows. The main light (for modeling) should be about twice the brightness as the fill light. Adding one on the background will communicate depth.

Be patient. It takes most of us some time to achieve this when beginning.

I hope this helps.

-Pete

 

[Sharkbait]

It took me several months of shooting portraiture every day before I started to really understand lighting.