Portrait Lighting -- Learning Thread

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

07/10/2006 10:19:11 AM · #101

Monday bump. C'mon guys - get those lights out of the closet and have a go at some studio-type portraits. I'll post a few in a while from my busy studio weekend to get the inspiration going...... I hope

LeeD

Canon EOS-30D

07/10/2006 10:21:25 AM · #102

Hi Cindi, I have some images that might qualify as portraits that I shot this past weekend. Unfortunately they would qualify as outtakes for one of the current challenges so they will have to wait until next week for me to post! ;-)

Thanks for all the effort you're putting into this thread!!! Even though I haven't really been participating, I have been watching it.

Message edited by author 2006-07-10 10:22:07.

07/10/2006 10:26:58 AM · #103

I've read, but haven't had a chance to set up and shoot. My biggest problem is that I don't have any rooms that don't already have a ton of light in them. Even our garage has several windows, and windows at the top of the doors, too. So how do you do studio lighting, if you already have a lot of natural light? I actually contemplated going up into the attic, but it's unbearably hot up there right now, plus, I'd have to run extension cords up, because I dont think there are any outlets up there. And, no, I don't have blinds or curtains on any of the windows. We haven't gotten that far yet. I suppose I could stack all the boxes I haven't unpacked yet in front of the windows However, I do think weâ��ll have more and more players playing abroad and that will if However, I do think weâ��ll have more and more players playing abroad and that will if Ã�.
Seriously, any ideas? Can I still use flash, but adjust for the extra light somehow?

07/10/2006 10:43:01 AM · #104

Margie - you could use some craft paper to cover the windows (cheap from the craft store, put it up with painters' tape so it doesn't mar the walls). I have a friend who does portraits in people's homes and he always takes a roll of craft paper along to cover unwanted light.
Another option would be to let the window light supplement the studio lighting - for example, place a model so that window light hits them where the fill light would normally and use your studio strobe for the key light (see my little diagram below). Hope that helps.

07/10/2006 10:49:14 AM · #105

Here are a few from yesterday. I had a very unexpected referral from another photographer. They still need some fine editing that I didn't feel like doing yesterday, I'll get around to it sometime today. (Feeling lazy).

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

07/10/2006 12:51:09 PM · #106

LeeD

Canon EOS-30D

07/10/2006 01:03:01 PM · #107

Originally posted by margiemu:

I've read, but haven't had a chance to set up and shoot. My biggest problem is that I don't have any rooms that don't already have a ton of light in them...

Funny... I have the opposite problem. I just hang dark drapes up in my "study" to convert it into a studio where I can fine-tune the lighting. My problem is in my "sunroom"... I have a fantastic 20x30 sunroom with hardwood floors that I use for a lot of my photography. My problem is getting the light to shine through the right window at the right time of day. I've found that the best "natural" lighting for the window I prefer to use only happens at 4:00 PM during the month of October. I ended up buying some vellum and putting it up over the window (outside) and then shining 2000 watts of HOT lights through the window to give me a "naturally-lit" window... I must say I did some experiments this past weekend using this technique and it worked rather well. My biggest problem was color temperature since I was still getting natural light spill from the other windows and I was using halogen hot lights for my main lighting source. It was tricky, but I did manage to get another 500 watt halogen light to use for fill on the inside to help balance my color temperature a little better (does that make sense?).... I'll post examples next week.

07/10/2006 05:51:43 PM · #108

Lee, I love your idea of using velum and hot lights outside a window. I have a huge diningroom window that I've been wanting to try that with... You've inspired me! :)

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

07/10/2006 07:49:11 PM · #109

Ok Cindi...Here's some shots that I took at the family reunion I did this weekend. I am a little disappointed in the shots. They are not horrible, but just not what I was looking for. I am definitely going to be saving for some alien bees, but if I can't get this lighting thing figured out with hot lights, I feel like I am really going to be lost when I get strobes!

Any comments or suggestions on what to do differently next time would be most appreciated!

Thanks
Carisa

LevT

OM System OM-1

07/10/2006 08:14:12 PM · #110

Not from the last weekend, but fairly recent

this was shot some 6 thousand miles from my "home studio", so I had to resort to available light sources: a combination of natural window light (pretty weak, it was getting dark) and a built-in flash on my camera.

these are a couple of shots (slightly older) done at home, with a single strobe: a soft box (left) and barn doors (right)

(the background trees in the first one were added in p/p)

comments would be highly welcome!

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

07/10/2006 08:17:36 PM · #111

Itsimring...I love that profile shot! Could you give a bit more of a description on how you did it, if so that would be great.

LevT

OM System OM-1

07/10/2006 08:26:27 PM · #112

Originally posted by carisakD70:

Itsimring...I love that profile shot! Could you give a bit more of a description on how you did it, if so that would be great.

well, the trick i guess was to place my strobe light to the left and slightly behind the subject, so it would backlight the profile. Not too far behind, so there is still a little bit of light light on the foreground. And the barndoors help to make the outline more contrasty and also keep the light from getting directly into the lens.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

07/10/2006 10:16:04 PM · #113

I so wish I knew what I was doing here.. I have a ton of questions.
This is my best shot from today...

I feel like I'm totally hit and miss on figuring out what settings to use as far as apeture, exposure time etc.
Also, Cindi, how to your lights work? Are they triggered by your flash on your camera? How is that set up?

LeeD

Canon EOS-30D

07/10/2006 10:46:29 PM · #114

Originally posted by idnic:

Lee, I love your idea of using velum and hot lights outside a window. I have a huge diningroom window that I've been wanting to try that with... You've inspired me! :)

It works pretty good... let us know how your experiment goes!

07/10/2006 10:57:32 PM · #115

two more... same lighting setup, which is one light being bounced off an umbrella to the right of the camera, some light, (but not very much as it's evening and overcast) coming in the windows.

I'm not happy with the catch lights. One is the flash on my camera, which triggers the other lights. If I bounce it too high, it doesn't seem to trigger the other flash, but like this, it causes as second catch light, which I don't like.

07/10/2006 10:58:47 PM · #116

And here's another question, Cindi... how do you get your girls to pose so cooperatively. You'd think with all my kids I could get ONE of them to pose happily. But they whine and complain and pout, or just plain continue talking on the phone to their girlfriend...

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

07/10/2006 11:48:26 PM · #117

Margie...You could easily clone out that second catchlight, it wouldn't be too much trouble.

CalliopeKel

Canon EOS-5D

07/11/2006 12:08:21 AM · #118

Originally posted by margiemu:

Bribery, and when that doesn't work. Threats work pretty good. LOL

07/11/2006 01:27:26 PM · #119

Originally posted by margiemu:

Yup!, what Kel said!! I bribe, beg, threaten, whatever works. They do fuss a little, but they love the finished shots enough to cooperate MOST of the time. I do keep the sessions with them (or any kid) short! 30 minutes or less. They get bored so easily and so keep that in mind.

I use a synch cord to trigger my lights rather than letting camera flash do it because I don't want the additional light from the flash. A synch cord costs about $10. Its a little dangerous in the studio because of the cord running across the floor, but I haven't splurged for radio units yet so deal with it.

Your shots are looking much stronger, Margie. The lighting is nice; directional, but not too contrasty. Have you tried using a reflector on the side opposite your main light to brighten the darker side of the face a bit more? Give that a go if you haven't. I keep mine mounted on a hospital IV pole (yard sale find) so I can roll it around wherever its needed.

07/11/2006 01:35:10 PM · #120

Originally posted by carisakD70:

Hey Carisa!

Firstly, not a bad go at portraits! You actually did pretty well considering experience/equipment.

What to change: Most important: Move your subject away from the bg cloth. The rule of thumb is about 5 feet away MINIMUM. More is better. I know that can be tough when you are shooting in a small space, but you really need that separation to get the focus on the subject and not on the bg fabric.
Lighting-wise: It looks like a couple of them are blown, even if your metering your lights, you could still blow the highlights if you are using too much light. Simple fix there, turn the lights down some. In the others, the light is just a bit flat, it lacks direction which helps to give dimension to the face(s). For that, you can turn up one light so its more dominant (key light) and turn the other down a bit so its just helping to fill in the dark places (fill light). What to look for?: a bit of shadow on one side of the nose.

Hope that's helpful. Can't wait to see more.

07/11/2006 01:36:49 PM · #121

Originally posted by margiemu:

I feel like I'm totally hit and miss on figuring out what settings to use as far as apeture, exposure time etc.

Margie, my friend... you may be ready to need a light meter. It helps TONS in getting exposures right and saves hours and hours of tril & error. :)

07/11/2006 02:04:52 PM · #122

Cindi...I am using hotlights, so there is no way to "turn them down". They are both 1000 watts. Any other suggestions, or am I just out of luck till I can get my Bees?

07/11/2006 02:11:24 PM · #123

Originally posted by carisakD70:

Cindi...I am using hotlights, so there is no way to "turn them down". They are both 1000 watts. Any other suggestions, or am I just out of luck till I can get my Bees?

Good point Carisa. Try moving one of them farther away - or put some sort of diffuser over it (nothing flamable though!!). :)

07/11/2006 08:58:49 PM · #124

Ok, so I need to get a sync cord and a light meter, and a reflector, and some sort of stand to hold the reflector, and a bag of candy to bribe my kids. Anything else?

Here's the hit and miss thing... I shot again today, haven't touched the lights and stuff since yesterday, but the light is way different. I assume because there is more light coming in the windows, because it is earlier in the day? When I tried changing the f-stop, I got really underexposed, off color shots. Arg.
Also, what do you do about the chin shadows? Reflectors in their laps? Maybe I can bribe them into posing again, and I'll try that...

actually I did add a reflector on the side opposite my light (a piece of white foam board). I can't tell if it made any difference, though. Seems like I'm actually getting a lot of light from the window directly behind the camera still.

Message edited by author 2006-07-11 21:00:33.