Tips and Requirements for large group High Keys

antexity · Apr 3, 2017

I have done groups < 5 in high key but there is this requirement to do groups of 15 people. High key would be perfect but wondering what would be required.

I have:

12 ft of white seamless
4 - 400W strobes with 45 degree deflectors, umbrellas and boxes
The room is large 20X 30

Do I need additional equipment? How should the setup be, camera settings etc.

I have the ability to bag all windows to pure darkness.

Any help or tips would be truly appreciated!

Thanks,
Jonathan

Derrel · Apr 3, 2017

To esnure a pure white, bright background, use more light on the background than you use of the foreground subjects. Use two lights on the white seamless, angled in from the sides of the paper from about eight feet or so away, and flagged off so you do not get flares. Use one light on the group from NOT TOO CLOSE. Light the group evenly, which means from farther away, rather than closer, so the fall-off is not too bad. Set the exposure for the group: since you have 2 x 400 on the white paper, and 1 x 400 on the group, exposing for the group at say f/13 at ISO 200 to ISO 250 will ensure that the backgroud paper will be bright and white.

Do not be afraid to set the ISO higher than 100, such as 160, or 200, or 250, to get the right exposure on the group.

The idea is MORE light on the background and LESS light on the people.

antexity · Apr 7, 2017

Derrel said:
To esnure a pure white, bright background, use more light on the background than you use of the foreground subjects. Use two lights on the white seamless, angled in from the sides of the paper from about eight feet or so away, and flagged off so you do not get flares. Use one light on the group from NOT TOO CLOSE. Light the group evenly, which means from farther away, rather than closer, so the fall-off is not too bad. Set the exposure for the group: since you have 2 x 400 on the white paper, and 1 x 400 on the group, exposing for the group at say f/13 at ISO 200 to ISO 250 will ensure that the backgroud paper will be bright and white.

Do not be afraid to set the ISO higher than 100, such as 160, or 200, or 250, to get the right exposure on the group.

The idea is MORE light on the background and LESS light on the people.

Thanks so much for your reply Derrel. I actually have 4 X 400's , would you still recommend 1 for the groupright in the middle? I am assuming I stand right beside the group light? I also have 45 degree reflectors for the strobes, 2x soft boxes, 2x umbrellas and 2x octogon soft boxes. Any tips on which strobes should be using which boxes /reflectors? Last question, what do you mean by "flagged off", barn doors?

Thanks again!

Derrel · Apr 7, 2017

Flagged off could be barn doors, if you have them and fairly wide-angle beam spread reflectors that can light the backdrop up evenly. The 45-degree reflectors ought to work to light the backdrop paper. I have 11.5 inch reflectors and barn doors for those, and sometimes use them, or a pair of 16-inch reflectors with barn doors, but by flagged off, I was thinking of 30 x 40 inch poster boards (Foam Core boards) clamped onto light stands,and acting as flags (stray light blockers). It's important to avoid any HOT light that might reflect directly off the outer rims/edges of metal bowl reflectors, and which might cause hot, raw light to hit the people at the edges of the group. Flags are mostly for safety against raw-light that might go unseen.

You likely will need only one light for the group, but definitely use two, equal-powered lights on the background paper. and yeah, I think one light ought to be enough for the group. You can use whatever light modifier you like...an umbrella or a softbox at 300 to 400 Watt-seconds and "feathered" across the width of the group from 12 feet or more away ought to give a good, EVEN light....kind of aim it so it "misses" the closest people, and thus gives an EVEN light output across the width of the group. This is difficult to explain, but if you look up some good YouTube videos, you'll see there is a well-known way to feather a light across a wiiiiiide group, and to get pretty even light,with the light off to the side of the group. I assume the group will be like 3 deep, and five across? Again...you'll need some depth of field, so keep in that f/13 to f/16 range for FOCUS!!! (Ignore people who bring up diffraction!)

If you want to, just plop a softbox high and fairly close to the camera position, and not at much of an angle, but be aware of eyeglass glares. and remember...less light on the group, and MORE on the background! Then, exposure is set by f/stop for the group, thus ensuring a clean,pure white backdrop.