Where did i go wrong?

[azillian]

Recently I purchased two Paul C Buff Einstein units, fully equipped with their cyber commander and transceiver wireless firing system, so strobe photography is something new to me. I've watched a bunch of tutorials and stuff, but I just want someones opinion on this photo.

I cant stand the harsh shadows around his eyes!!! What am I doing wrong? I'm supposed to turn this into a vector cartoon-like image, but I need a proper photo to do so (i think). Regardless of what I'm trying to do with this photo though, I still want to know how to get nicer shadows in and around the eyes for future shoots.

Thanks in advance.

 

[azillian]

I guess my fill light isn't properly positioned???

 

[azillian]

to diffuse the light I'm bouncing out of two umbrellas. The lights are positioned to my left and right at about equal height... Do i need a beauty dish or something??? I don't really know much about diffusers. Does anyone have any leads to some useful video's that may explain this to me?? I also have access to two other Einsteins my neighbor owns. I'm planning on starting a little in house studio with a seamless to shoot models and what not. Will having another light or two be ideal???

 

[Designer]

I think this shot is not bad at all. I rather like it. The light is perhaps somewhat unconventional in the placement, but you've still got good light on his face, just not front and center. I'd just go with it.

I have no idea how it will work as a vector cartoon, but try it!

As to using more lights, I think it depends on what you want for the result.

If you want to minimize the shadows in his eye-sockets, just move the light more toward the front, or ask the model to turn more toward the light.

No big deal.

 

[tirediron]

Two key questions: How far away from the subject are the lights and how high are the lights? Remember that the closer the light, the softer the light, and the greater the 'wrap' (the gentler the shadows). Were these by any chance silver reflecting umbrellas? I would raise your lights, bring the key in a little closer image right, and the fill in closer image left and reduce the fill power at least 2/3 stop below key.

More lights are always good (4-5 is ideal), but for 90% of my headshots and similar work, I do with two lights and a reflector. This for instance:

was a single SB-800 driving a 50" softbox from about 3' away and 30 degrees camera left, and high enough so that it was aimed down about 10 degrees or so. There are so many tutorials on YouTube and so many great books out there, it's hard to recommend just one, but if you are a photographer, you NEED the bible of all lighting! I would also spend a LOT of time over at the Strobist Blog; they concentrate mainly on off-camera speedlight work, but the principals are the same. A strobe is a strobe, some are just bigger.

 

[Murray Bloom]

It looks like the right-hand light was actually a bit behind the subject, causing the shadow.

 

[azillian]

Two key questions: How far away from the subject are the lights and how high are the lights? Remember that the closer the light, the softer the light, and the greater the 'wrap' (the gentler the shadows). Were these by any chance silver reflecting umbrellas? I would raise your lights, bring the key in a little closer image right, and the fill in closer image left and reduce the fill power at least 2/3 stop below key.

They were fairly close, we were in a tight space, I'd say no more then 2 feet away from him, and they weren't positioned very high, either. About head high directly at him. Both were pretty much symmetrically positioned, so it's hard to say which is key and which is fill, but I guess the way he's positioned in this photo the light on the left would be the key, right??

Is the "bible" really worth the $25? lol

 

[azillian]

More lights are always good (4-5 is ideal), but for 90% of my headshots and similar work, I do with two lights and a reflector. This for instance:

For this photo, where did u use the reflector??? And the other two lights?? Very beautifully lit!!

 

[clarnibass]

Were the lights more or less from his sides? You could try moving them to be a bit more in anagle to his front. It's hard to say but it looks like his eye, eye socket, nose and arm are probably blocking the light from getting there. BTW I think the photo is nice like this too.

 

[tirediron]

For this photo, where did u use the reflector??? And the other two lights?? Very beautifully lit!!

Thanks - that was just one light, the speedlight in a 50" softbox, nothing else. Big modifiers rock! When I said 'four lights' I meant, that's a nice number to have in your kit, but not that you need to use all of them. I've got five heads in my Speedotron travel kit, and probably close to a dozen speedlights. The number of images that I produce that use more than two can probably be counted on your fingers. I like simple!

 

[KmH]

What size are the umbrellas?

Fill light is usually on or near the lens axis, or close to perpendicular to the key light.
Fill light is usually set to a lower power setting than the key light (lower lighting ratio).

If a light is at the same power setting as the key light, not on or near the lens axis or at an angle more or less than perpendicular to the key light, it's called a second, accent, kicker, rim, or hair light.

 

[gsgary]

2 lights and 1 reflector, 1 front our left about 45degs shoot through brolly and 1 opposite slightly higher with a grid and reflector our right to bounce a bit of light, i was set up at a dog show shooting and printing on site

This is the set up but in the shot above my partner was holding a reflector, i had to think on my feet when i was showed where to shoot and had to think fast how to set it up

 

[azillian]

2 lights and 1 reflector, 1 front our left about 45degs shoot through brolly and 1 opposite slightly higher with a grid and reflector our right to bounce a bit of light, i was set up at a dog show shooting and printing on site
This is the set up but in the shot above my partner was holding a reflector, i had to think on my feet when i was showed where to shoot and had to think fast how to set it up

I'd say you made some pretty good decisions that day!! The photo's lit very well!! I'm going to apologize in advance for the following questions. :mrgreen:

-In the second photo, the light in front of the dog is at a 45 degree angle down onto the subject, and you're shooting through the umbrella instead of out of it. Why do you shoot through instead of out of it? What is the difference? My umbrellas are a similar size (maybe a bit smaller), and they come with the black cover over them that allows someone to bounce out of it, and if you remove the black cover you can shoot through, a two for one. Me being lazy and not knowing the difference, i always leave the cover on and shoot out of them.... I'd like to know what the difference is if you don't mind telling me.

-The same light also has what looks like a long throw reflector with a low degree beam spread. Yea sure, i may know what the heck it's called, they gave me the option to buy em, I just had no idea what I needed it for, so i didn't get one. lol. I'd assume it's so that you don't have much spill or something, right? But then you see it paired with an umbrella for a diffuser and all of a sudden I am confused... I would think that defeats the purpose of using the low degree reflector, but obviously there is a reason to pair the two, i just don't know why, can you please explain?

-What the hell is a grid?

-Where is the reflector?

 

[azillian]

Thanks - that was just one light, the speedlight in a 50" softbox, nothing else. Big modifiers rock!

Duddddde. I need a 50" softbox....!!! is it one of those long ones? Or square? Even more impressed with this photo now! Simple is always better, who likes tripping over wires?? :shock: :salute:

 

[gsgary]

IF there had been more room i would have used my 1.2m octobox but there was a walkway right next to that light and using the shoot through brolly gave move room for pedestrians it was all about space, i also used my old lights just in case they got damaged. A grid is like a mesh to stop light spead more directional, the reflector was held by my partner about where she is stood

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