background shadow

[Ingebg]

I start to be very frustated with the portrait pictures I have been taking. I have used camera flash as an additional light with my 3 soft boxes but I think I still have to have background light or what are your thoughts?

[IABoomer]

Move the subject further from the background?

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by IABoomer

Move the subject further from the background?

^^^^^^this

[ChrisAdval]

Originally Posted by Ingebg

I start to be very frustated with the portrait pictures I have been taking. I have used camera flash as an additional light with my 3 soft boxes but I think I still have to have background light or what are your thoughts?

what's your goal, it sounds like you to eliminate all shadows that traditional photography would have... which in my own style I avoid as much as possible... play with one light and see how much interesting shots would come out.

[ajax_andy]

As someone else said move the subject further away from the backdrop... if that isn't possible make sure the lights are higher than the subject and angle them down, so that shadows are cast lower down and are elongated, rather than being a completely behind the subject

[scootermcq]

All the above is good advice. I looked at the image, and the catch lights are dead center in the eyes. It almost looks like on camera flash. Then I looked at your lighting diagram and realized you are placing the camera by the main light. If you can't move the subject further from the bg, trying centering the camera between the lights and feather the light more from the side across the subject, and not aiming it directly at the subject.

Also, if you include your exif data we might be able to tell you to shoot with a smaller aperture, but right now I don't know what you were working with.

[Ingebg]

Originally Posted by scootermcq

All the above is good advice. I looked at the image, and the catch lights are dead center in the eyes. It almost looks like on camera flash. Then I looked at your lighting diagram and realized you are placing the camera by the main light. If you can't move the subject further from the bg, trying centering the camera between the lights and feather the light more from the side across the subject, and not aiming it directly at the subject.

Also, if you include your exif data we might be able to tell you to shoot with a smaller aperture, but right now I don't know what you were working with.

Hi, Thanks for your advice. Yep, moving my lights are hard when the room is so small but I checked the exp. data. I have old continuous lights and used my camera flash with them. Last week I bought a additional light to use as a background light. Bought is from home depot with $15 (flood light, 250 watt.) okay the exposure info of this photo is 1/125 F5.0
Thanks you again, Inge