First portrait

[aadam_21]

Wanted to see what you guys would suggest for this. I've been playing with strobes for the first time (just got a 3 light setup). Next time, I'll definitely use a hair light, but I wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions from studio experience. This is my little girl taken this evening. I'll post the pic I got of my son in another thread.

[Palachandra]

Nice shot and good details. Unfortunately I dont have any studio experience.

Great model by the way.

[aadam_21]

Thanks! My little 5 year old - she LOVES the camera.

[sgrbear724]

I didn't see this one first-this is exactly what I meant! Great!

[clockdoc]

Very nice work for your first attempt at portraiture. Most studios use a 4-light setup. The main light give modeling to the subject, the fill light (which is placed on the opposite side of the camera) helps to fill in the shadows created my the main light, a hair light helps sepatare the head from the background and provide s detail to the hair and finally the background light helps to minimize shadows caused by the two frotal lights. Many studios today use umbrella lighting for the main and fill light as it is a softer and more flattering light than direct flash.
Please describe the light setup you used here. I'll be happy to help where I can.

[aadam_21]

Thanks for your willingness to help a noob clockdoc! I don't have power or make handy, but I used a main light to the left with a soft box and I had a fill light to the right with an umbrella. Yes, I have a third light which was sitting unused that would have made a nice hair light, but I'm still getting my feet wet . Each light was about 5 feet from the subjects, so I had the power cranked way down. I don't have a large amount of space to use right now for shots (just a small bonus room over the garage) so I had to make do.

Do you have any good suggestions for 3 lights? I was thinking about what I used here and adding a hairlight since shadows on the background weren't a problem (though they may be when I start working with a lighter background).

[clockdoc]

You will have to run some tests to determine which light of the two is your strongest one and use it as your key or main light. For starting out, place it about 45 degrees to the left or right of the camera from the subject and above camera height (use a height that gives the best shadow/facial modeling. Place the fill light on the other side of the camera and as close to the camera/lens as possible. Testing will determine the output of the lights (I recall you mentioned that you can adjust the output power.) Place the hair light high and in back of the subject facing the main or key light as a starting point. Be careful that spill light does not fall on the camera lens as this will cause flaring. Testing will determine the best output for the hair light. Does you light set have "barndoors or any means to control the spread of the light beam?
Start with these basics and then we cn get into the main lighting patterns for portraits once you feel comfortable with your exposure settings. Many studios will have the front light spaced equal distances apart as opposed to having the fill light close to the camera. This is mainly to ensure a broadly lit portrait that would be acceptable to most everyone. Using the fill closer to the camera allows better control of shadows that give modeling and character to the face. Both ways work. It just depends what your end result is. Hope this helps.

[aadam_21]

Thanks for the advice. I'll be testing some more in the next couple of days and I'll post the results. To answer your question, the kit I bought has two strobes each with a softbox, and a barn door attachment for either one. I have a third light which doesn't have any controls - just on or off that I'm using with a reflective umbrella (no way to mount a softbox or barn door). Where would you suggest using the third light since there is no power adjustment for this one?

Thanks again for letting me pick your brain. I'm excited to learn and when results are coming out that are even remotely presentable, it gets me worked up!

[clockdoc]

I'd suggest using the third light for the hairlight even though it has no barndoors or poswer control. Also, it may work best as a direct light, that is, not bounced into an umbrella. Experiment and you be the judge as to which works best. You can fashion a "scrim" out of aluminum foil and possibly hold it in place with clips so as to block stray light that may fall on the lens. Use distance from your subject to control light intensity. Be careful about placing any thing that can burn close to the flash tubes as a diffuser.
Remember that you can use f/stop numbers in an interesting way as distance values. For example with your hair light. At 5.6 feet it will provide a given amount of light. Move it to 8 feet and you will lose one full f/stop of light. Move it to 11 feet and another full stop of light is lost. You could keep moving the light farther away to 16, then 22 and finally 32 feet (assuming it was powerful enough to carry that far), each time losing a full f/stop of light.
An interesting side note here is that some studios use strings attached to their light stands and have knots or other markers at those distances (5.6 ft, 8, 11 and 16) to help them set up lighting ratios in short order. Unless you shooting room is very bright, ambient room light should not influence exposure so shutter speed is not a critical player.
I look forward to seeing your results.

[aadam_21]

Thanks for all your help! I've got some serious experimenting ahead and I'll post results as soon as I can.