So my second new year's resolution is to work on my lighting. To actually take the time to setup, test, instead of just guessing. I actually tried a four light setup for some cat photos, so I thought I'd post here. I will try, in the future, to either zoom out, or take a wide angle shot with my cell phone to show all the lighting. I'll just have to try to explain with some of these, because I don't have complete lighting shots.
Please share your lighting setups. Remember -- this is all lighting!!. I've lost my ability to work well with natural lighting, so I would love to know your natural lighting setups, as well. Is it a window with sheers, north facing, is the setup close or far away, etc.
Here's the history:
I wanted 4 lights -- 2 strip boxes for edge lighting, one overhead because I've seen setups for pet photography that use just one large overhead light, and one fill light in the front.
The cats wouldn't stay in one place, so I started out with a dark brown stuff bear.
One strip box on the left:
Add a strip box on the right
Add a strobe in the front (off to the left a bit) with a small octagonal softbox (you can see part of it in the photo)
What it looks like with just the octobox light and no rim lighting
results:
 
What I learned the hard way: If you want just a rim light and you don't want the light to spill on the sides, you need to have them placed pretty narrowly behind the subject. So with a moving subject, like an animal, you do NOT want to just have a table for them. They just end up sitting in front of the light. If you use a stool or a box, etc. for them to sit/stand on, you can contain them a little more.
I have to get back to work on other things -- will add the fourth light above a bit later.
Message edited by author 2024-01-20 11:50:57. |
