Shooting Against a Black Background.

[mrpink]

Hard light comes from a small source, also a closer to the subject source will cause the light to be hard. It really has little to do with power.

Soft light is from a large source, think SOFTbox, also, a light source further away will be softer.






p!nK

 

[dxqcanada]

Also ... the guide I have claims a guide number of 34 for my flash. Now I just have to do the research and see what that means.

GN = aperture x flash distance to subject
therefore ... aperture = GN / distance

The GN is noted as a distance (in meters or feet) at a given ISO (usually 100).

34 is probably meters = aprox 112ft

The GN will double as you quadruple the ISO ... so 224ft @ 400 ISO

 

[rodnunley]

Shot this tonight. Didn't have as much time to play as I thought I would but I think it's getting better. I removed the grid and just used the snoot on the back flash and moved the front flash closer. I also adjusted the camera to f8 and 1/125. I didn't have the time to get the back light adjusted just right so it's on my shoulder more than I want it to be. Still not perfect but I can see some improvement thanks to all of your tips.

Also got my wife to join in for a moment and moved the snooted back flash to a 12 o clock position behind her. It's low and angled up at her. Just wanted to see what that would do.

Both images are straight from the camera. No work done in post.

Still lots to learn but I am having a blast playing with all this and taking to you guys about it. Thanks again for all the kind words and assistance.

 

[Aye-non Oh-non Imus]

I included #1 to illustrate how the lighting itself looked in the different ways I was shooting. These were all test images so that I could show what I was (and clearly wasn't) doing so I could seek guidance from others in a photography forum.

And correct me if I'm wrong but this is supposed to be a forum about learning photography. So I thought it might be appropriate to show both what I was doing correctly and what I was doing incorrectly.

Yes, this is a place for learning. Given the fact that you obviously have some understanding of what your desired results are to be, by way of the last two images posted, there is nothing more to learn with #1 other than becoming more self-aware of the "misses" all of us get. In my opinion, this awareness is just as important of a learning tool as knowing how to interpret your GN information. Let the Recycle Bin become your friend.

This isn't directed solely at you but I get pretty aggravated with some of the smug and often times rude responses that people give out here. There are a lot of very nice people around here that continue to share their advice for free (which I know lots of us appreciate). But there are also a lot of people who want to be snarky for no real purpose.

I did not intend to be rude nor snarky, thus my opening sentence. But on the other hand, I will be direct. Including #1 was a step backwards because it served no real purpose for you. You knew it was under exposed, you knew the aim of the lighting was well off. I suppose the one thing to learn though is to be astute with the images you post in an effort to increase your understanding of off camera flash.

Of course the first image is crap ... but isn't talking about what is wrong with an image also a valuable way of learning? Isn't there value in talking about why something is crap so that something can be learned from it?

Well then, let's discuss the other images because they aren't crap and there is enough to provide feedback.

As a begining, in studio situations there are 5 basic lights with specific purposes. Back light is not one of them.... backlight, backlighting, backlit; yes...... background light, yes.

• Main / Key - This sets the mood and modeling for the subject.
• Fill - This fills in the shadows created be the Main and smoothes the transition from lighted side to shadow side.
• Background - This illuminates the background to provide separation from subject to background
• Hair / Rim - This adds light and life to the subjects hair adding another layer of separation and dimensionality.
• Accent - This adds illumination on specific areas of the subject to create a spark of interest without overpowering the image.

Okay, so with #2 - The Main lighting is pretty good as it is well controlled to illuminate the face making it stand apart as the main interest of the photo. I think turning off the Hair light was a mistake though. The subject is melting into, or rather, being swallowed by the background where some separation would certainly add more life to the image. The lack of detail in the shadow side is a problem. One option to try if you didn't want the Hair light is to feather the Main light towards the camera slightly. This will help with some extra light getting to the shadowed side. Another option to try if you didn't want the Hair light (and this would always be my first) is to use the second flash as a Fill. Either hotshoe mounted or better yet, slightly off lens axis on the same side as the Main light. By using Fill flash some if not all the shadow on the face would have some detail, probably would also lessen the hard shadow from the arm of the eyeware as well as the reflection line from the glass on the left cheek.

Personal taste here, but up-the-nose shots have never been appealing to me. With the subject looking up and to the left, a position in the lower right interset point would be more appealing.

I hope this is a more helpful post for you.

 

[gsgary]

Looking at your examples it shows you have not studied the shot in the link properly, he has 2 lights opposite each other, 1 high and from behind her left shoulder as a hair light and his softbox opposite at the front, the back light is harder than the front light. You could use one from behind and above with the flash zoomed to about 70mm at 1/2 power and one opposite zoomed at about 50mm bounced off some white card at full power dial it down to suit, try setting your camera to iso100, 1/125, F8 and see what you get

This shot uses a similar technique, but different tools

Thanks for your input and advice. I have a couple of questions though.

When you say the back light is "harder" do you mean more powerful? So the front light is dialed lower than the back light?

I will try shooting with your suggestions tonight. Thanks again.

No the back light has no diffusion bare light with just a grid, front light is diffused with a softbox so it is softer, the front light is usually set higher but because the back light is bare it looks as if it is set higher
This is how i set up for the dog shot (i didn't have room for my octobox)

 

[AgentDrex]

Here are a couple I did with my "hobo" lighting...not a lot of people like them but the subjects and I like them...so I guess that's what counts...taken with a Canon Elura 80 (photo function) and one light (100-watt bulb in a floor lamp, cardboard box and tinfoil) pitch black room....then PP'd my glow effect into the photo...not professional but I was just starting with portraits...and still are pretty much my only ones...gotta do some new ones with this 1000d:

#1

This one was without the glow effect (obviously) and in color (again obviously):
#2

And no, I refuse to use reflectors, etc. to fill in the shadows...I LIKE HEAVY SHADOWED AREAS darnit!

 

[gsgary]

Hard light comes from a small source, also a closer to the subject source will cause the light to be hard. It really has little to do with power.

Soft light is from a large source, think SOFTbox, also, a light source further away will be softer.







p!nK

Light gets harder the more you move it from the subject, closer softer

 

[AgentDrex]

Yes sir gsgary...certainly correct...if the sun is closer to us...the shadows cast will have softer edges....as it is...they are sharp as h-e double hockey sticks