Studio Lighting setup

ZyxKor · Mar 9, 2007

When I choose the background/clothing I try to get close to the skin tone and hair color of the subject with a different color so as to not fade into it. With your dark hair & light skin it makes a bit harder. If you're far off as you are in the picture then you will either blow out the lighter portions or lose detail in the dark areas. My work monitor isn't setup right so I can't tell for sure but it looks like your shirt and hair are just black areas with no details. The background is ok for you if you were to change your shirt but you'll probably need a hair light to help your get some detail in your hair.

Personally I would like to do build more of a portrait studio but don't have the $$ to do it right just yet. I have to quit buying fast glass to save up.

And I'm newbie to portrait stuff myself so take my advice with a grain of salt...

brighteyesphotos · Mar 9, 2007

Ok - this is why I'm better with the artistic part rather than the technical. I do not have the brain for the technical stuff.

I'm gonna go look for a hot shoe adapter for a radio slave.

Big Mike · Mar 9, 2007

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&Q=&is=REG&O=productlist&sku=135782

Efergoh · Mar 9, 2007

Big Mike said:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&Q=&is=REG&O=productlist&sku=135782

Wrong kind of adapter.

The one she needs is one that will "convert" her Minolta/Sony style hot shoe to accept flashes and slaves that require a standard shoe.

Big Mike · Mar 9, 2007

I am under the impression that she needs an adaptor that will fit into the hot-shoe and has a PC connection, because her camera does not have it's own PC connection.

Efergoh · Mar 9, 2007

Don't know if Sony added a PC port (my minolta doesn't have one either), but I do know that flashes and slaves for standard shoes (like Nikkon and Cannon) will not fit a Minolta/Sony

Big Mike · Mar 9, 2007

Gotcha. That's an awfully weird thing for them to do :scratch:

harrisoncj · Mar 9, 2007

I would also work on the angle of your lights... Right now she has some freaky nose shadows.

EOS_JD · Mar 9, 2007

Also she's very close to the background too - I'd move a few feet away (3-5ft)

brighteyesphotos · Mar 9, 2007

*hides nose* damn... that's the third comment I got about my nose today. I want a nose job! Damn Mayo nose.

So work on lighting angles and place subjects further away from background. I think I was about 2 feet out. So time to use my yard stick to place subjects.

And no, no PC connector port on the Sony or its flash.

I'll try again some time this weekend and post (hopefully) better results.

Johnboy2978 · Mar 9, 2007

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Master-Lighting-Guide-Portrait-Photographers/dp/1584281251/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-6468658-5701752?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173494299&sr=8-1[/ame]

May want to check this book out. I found it semi-useful. I currently only have one strobe, and the book has limited info for such a simple setup. I also use a dedicated flash off camera for background fill until I get some more alien bees.

Anyway, one thing I have learned is that if you are using more than one light you want to keep them the same distance from the subject. Imagine a clock face and your subject is in the center. You want to place your key light at about 4:30 or 45° from the subject. If you have multiple lights arrange them at the same radius from the subject as the keylight to keep the lighting even. It looks like in these the key light is almost a 90° to the subject which makes that nose shadow much larger.

Big Mike · Mar 9, 2007

Here is a site that you may find useful.

blooper · Mar 18, 2007

what it really looks like to me is youve got one soft box on the right and an open window on the left. so youre getting a warm light from the right from the soft box(which also appears to be placed too far to her side). youre also getting a cool light from what seems to be a window or some type of outside light source. thats where the cool color looks like its coming from. i say its only one box cuz i dont see any type of fill or much of it. its most apparant in the first 2 pictures.

id just suggest you light as much as you can to fill some of the shadows in with the same type of light. make sure your white balance is set properly. maybe use a hair light to emphasize the top of her head and her shoulders.

a good tip for most types of portraiture photos is to be a little over exposed anyway.

Christie Photo · Mar 18, 2007

blooper said:
a good tip for most types of portraiture photos is to be a little over exposed anyway.

ummm.... I'll go along with this on film, but NEVER, NEVER, NEVER with digital.

Pete

Christie Photo · Mar 18, 2007

I had to come back... I don't think it's a good idea to over expose film either. Over exposure just causes grain and contrast. Besides, there's more latitude in printing on the under side than over. It's best to just get a correct exposure.

Pete