Some recent people photos - thoughts on lighting and setup?

runnah · Apr 16, 2013

Trying to nail down my mobile setup. Thoughts about how these came out?

1 36" soft box and a 5-1 reflector. Sb800 and pocket wizards.

For a promo.

Pic2 by runnah555, on Flickr

This is my "mobile" studio setup I use for head shots.

Pic3 by runnah555, on Flickr

Tiller · Apr 16, 2013

Lookin good!

Derrel · Apr 16, 2013

For the most part, pretty good. But if there was something that could be done to modify the lighting, I think a bit more diffusion of the flash would be helpful. In the woman's shot, the light seems pretty crisp, with a very small point-sized catchlight, and also light that's crisp enough that it is revealing the crow's feet around her eyes. On the bald fellow in purple shirt, the reflection on his head is, IMHO, too large and also too hot. I dunno...I often use two layers of Speedotron mylar diffuser over a flash head + a grid, so that the light is very soft, very diffuse, especially on bald dudes.

YMMV.

runnah · Apr 16, 2013

Derrel said:
For the most part, pretty good. But if there was something that could be done to modify the lighting, I think a bit more diffusion of the flash would be helpful. In the woman's shot, the light seems pretty crisp, with a very small point-sized catchlight, and also light that's crisp enough that it is revealing the crow's feet around her eyes. On the bald fellow in purple shirt, the reflection on his head is, IMHO, too large and also too hot. I dunno...I often use two layers of Speedotron mylar diffuser over a flash head + a grid, so that the light is very soft, very diffuse, especially on bald dudes.

YMMV.

I do have a diffuser cap for my flash, I can try that if you think it would help.

Derrel · Apr 16, 2013

I think placing a larger diffuser, inside the softbox, would probably help more. A second option is a type of diffuser I have, which is a piece of gray mesh fabric with four clips, which goes in front of my 24x24 softboxes...no impact on the light color, but it does diffuse them a bit.

I think what we're seeing on the bald fellow's head is just too much specularity...too much sheen...from the relatively small, focused Fresnel lens in the flash sending the beam into a pretty small area, which creates a hot spot on the softbox front. Speedlights tend to have fairly 'focused' light beams at close ranges...and the inside of a softbox is pretty close. Putting the diffuser cap onto the flash might change the light's quality or its look quite a bit, actually.

It might also change somewhat if the flash unit is zoomed to a wider-angle coverage, so the light is "scrambled" more inside the box, before it goes out through the front panel.

Not sure if the softbox has an internal, suspended diffusing panel, or if it is silver- or white-lined; those three things factor into how "hot" (how specular or diffuse) the light is.

runnah · Apr 16, 2013

Derrel said:
I think placing a larger diffuser, inside the softbox, would probably help more. A second option is a type of diffuser I have, which is a piece of gray mesh fabric with four clips, which goes in front of my 24x24 softboxes...no impact on the light color, but it does diffuse them a bit.

I think what we're seeing on the bald fellow's head is just too much specularity...too much sheen...from the relatively small, focused Fresnel lens in the flash sending the beam into a pretty small area, which creates a hot spot on the softbox front. Speedlights tend to have fairly 'focused' light beams at close ranges...and the inside of a softbox is pretty close. Putting the diffuser cap onto the flash might change the light's quality or its look quite a bit, actually.

It might also change somewhat if the flash unit is zoomed to a wider-angle coverage, so the light is "scrambled" more inside the box, before it goes out through the front panel.

Not sure if the softbox has an internal, suspended diffusing panel, or if it is silver- or white-lined; those three things factor into how "hot" (how specular or diffuse) the light is.

This makes sense. I do have a hanging diffuser panel and an outer panel. White inside. I will have to try with the cap on. No zooming on the flash.

AfternoonTea · Apr 16, 2013

Looks good. Pay attentive detail to the eyes. The eyes is literally the eye grabber; the door to the soul. Typically you want to aim for one catch light in both eyes near 2 or 11 o'clock. Reasons can be for a natural light look / person is alive look, and has been done even during the days of painting portraits ( Google any portrait that was painted, and notice how even artiest pay close attention to lighting, and the eye catch-light)

The First Picture seems like her left eye is too dark, and lacks the catch light(s). The second one lacks consistency of the catch light (both have one at 11 o'clock, but his left eye also has an additional one at 2 o'clock)
Good refrences to effective catch light.

http://www.lowel.com/edu/foundations_of_lighting.html

http://tips.romanzolin.com/articles/article011.php

http://tips.romanzolin.com/articles/article012.php

rexbobcat · Apr 17, 2013

I like the second better than the first.

Te first has kind of...odd lighting in my opinion. It's kind of harsh and there doesn't seem to be much light in her eyes. It almost seems like you were too far to the side an too far away.

And yes, in the second there is that hot spot on his head, but you have some nice Rembrandt-esque lighting going on here that works better than the lighting in the first photograph, I think.

Granddad · Apr 17, 2013

Taking all the above comments into account (and noting the advice for myself), I like them both as good captures with good expressions and poses. Very corporate looking, particularly #1. She looks like the boss lady.

runnah · Apr 17, 2013

Granddad said:
Taking all the above comments into account (and noting the advice for myself), I like them both as good captures with good expressions and poses. Very corporate looking, particularly #1. She looks like the boss lady.

Thanks. They are both intact for corporate stuff, and that lady is a receptionist.