Portrait Lighting - Help Please

Hey, Paul, good to see a post from you!

I like the last one the best...for sure. I like the overall feel of the image, and the contrast between black and white. Her hair blends into the background, but I really like that about the image.

I like the first as well, but the selective vignette is a little distracting to me.

The second is nice, but she blends too much into the background...and unlike the last one, I don't think this adds to the image.

Just my thoughts, of course. I'm glad that Clare likes them!

 

Nice that you have a (somewhat) willing model to practice with. Generally speaking, the more lights you add, the more difficulty you have with control. For the moment, forget the secondary and hair-light and concentrate on what you can do with a single source. Start with one umbrella and get/use a reflector to fill in as necessary. (A 3x3 or 4x4 sheet of white foamcore will do nicely.) Do a quick search online for a Rembrandt Lighting tutorial and you'll be off and running.

 

I agree, I like the last the best, then #2. The first doesn't click for some reason, maybe the bracelet is too distracting; not sure.

 

It's hard to tell where the lighting ends and the vignetting begins, Paul. If you're going to vignette that strongly, there's no sense in using a hairlight.

What was your setup? I can't figure out where the second flash was located, or if it contributed at all.

 

I actually love the lighting and expression in the first... maybe rework it but I wouldn't trash it.

The second... yea too hot, a bit too contrasty (as in, if you expose for those hot areas, you won't have much illuminated but if that's what you're going for you're getting there).

Third: light looks good... be careful of that arm (and in the first too)... it's not the most flattering angle... a new camera postion and/or cropping could help that a lot!

The last is nice   Don't forget reflectors! I love 40"x60" foamcore... tape two together to make a bookend (or two) and the possiblities are endless!

 

Rework=remove vignette...   if you want to shoot me a copy I'd be happy to take a look and offer you some suggestions. My mentor used to re-edit my stuff for me all the time when I first started and it was SO helpful!!

 

Aha, no wonder I couldn't find where the 2nd flash contributed. I was going by the following comment in your opening post...

In such a dark room, it would be adviseable to use both of your flashes. Here's one way you might approach it.

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Note: In this sample, the main and fill strobes were reversed, and the subject wasn't quite as alluring as yours :Teeth:.

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First let me note that the proper name for this setup is split lighting, since each strobe lights a specific side of the subject's face and doesn't contribute much to the illumination of the other side.

The matter of ratio is purely a matter of personal preference. Like you, I favor a high ratio, so 3:1 is probably a good starting point. I'd start off with that assumption, and then chimp my way into the final setting.

 

I would hesitate before making such a blanket statement. Certainly the venue is a factor in making lighting choices, but shouldn't the desired photographic end-result be as much (if not more) of a factor? The goal here isn't to light the room, but to adequately light the subject. A single source of light and a bounce card is going to provide a more controllable setup, and will provide a quick(er) route to a classic style of lighting. Adding a second light immediately increases chance for error.

 

But that's precisely what my setup and sample addressed.   My intent was simply to keep the subject from being lost in the darkness.

Good that it works for you, but imho, CLS/AWL and a pair of strobes on stands with light modifiers is far superior in terms of ease of setup, flexibility, and control.

But rather than debating me, why not just show the OP your suggested setup and some samples?

 

Not trying to debate you, just commenting that dark-room doesn't always equal two-flashes.

Here's a link to a diagram for how I set up most (> 50%) of my shoots. I move the reflector closer or farther away 'til I get desired ratio.



Here's some representative examples...

#1

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#2
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#3
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#4 (I moved the reflector much further away to darken one side of her face.)
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I had to go measure, but it's about 9 feet. As I look at these again, I think I used a (1/4 power) backdrop light on #4.