Studio White BG critique

[Diddy2theJJ]

Hey guys, I shot this photo in my new studio space. Pretty basic setup. One 24x36 softbox D-Lite 400W strobe to light the family, and two 75W strobes to light the background.

Now, I'm somewhat new to studio lights so any advice would be appreciated. I see alot of photographers use the one light technique with their subjects, but I'm not sure if it's working here. Do the shadows look a bit harsh on the left (their right) side? Especially by her right eye. Should I set up another light for some fill?

Also, the background doesn't seem to be going to pure white. When I turned the lights up, it caused too much light wrapping around the subjects. They were probably close to 10 feet from the background here, and my studio isn't very big so it would be tougher to get them further away from it. I would also like the floor in the foreground to be whiter too and it seems that at the bend where the canvas meets the floor is somewhat blue.

 

[KmH]

The floor isn't close to being white either.

Controlling spilled light is always a challenge, and it's almost impossible to do with out some fairly large flags of some type.

I've seen bi-fold doors used effectively to control spill.

Posting a diagram of your setup would be helpful.

 

[Diddy2theJJ]

Here's a diagram of my setup. I had barn doors on the background lights to try and control spill but maybe I need something bigger like the bi-fold doors you suggested.

 

[Derrel]

Bi-fold doors are inexpensive and readily available, and they form low-cost "V-flats", which is the name I grew up knowing for large, hinged "flats", each around the size of a standard door, taped or hinged together to form a free-standing reflector or go-between AKA gobo; other materials will also work. Fairly inexpensive steel rolling laundry hanging racks make nice wheeled bases for large PVC panels with fabric, or with multiple Foam-Core boards affixed to them to act as light-blockers/reflectors. But yeah, "something" between the people and the background lights will allow light to be kept OFF of the people, and also reflected back toward the background paper, to keep it nice and white. Two VERY large, reflective umbrellas can also be used to illuminate a white background; they send light to the background and they also act as light-blockers...

Same thing with using LARGE, fabric panel reflectors in the 48 x72 inch size range...they are big enough to actually work. Made of PVC pipe and fabric, this is an economical system. It's good to have "something" to block all that spill light from coming back toward the camera and lens and the people.

The ratio, the relationship, of light on the people to the amount of light on the background is what determines the background color/density. In the above example, the people and foreground could use MORE light, and the background could probably use a bit less light, which would give you a cleaner, white foreground, as well as a nice white background.

 

[Big Mike]

Using one light (for the subject) can certainly work, and I think you've done pretty well in this case. But adding another light as a fill, would probably help. And if placed right, it could help to add light to the floor, to help make that brighter as well.