First time using a strobe

[mandyatm]

So I mainly shoot on location and I do studio shots occasionally. When I do studio shots I prefer use natural light from windows, but when there wasn't enough light I was forced to use some hot lights I borrowed instead of the windows. They really weren't working for me. Anyway, I thought I could get one strobe and a reflector to mix in with the light from my windows. This picture was taken when there wasn't really much ambient light as it was almost dark outside. It looks kind of flat to me, and she is not separated from the background. I know this background doesn't really match what she is wearing, it was just on my stand when I plopped her down to test the strobe. Aside from her not standing out from the background, is the lighting okay on her face? Could I use a window to the side to light the background and then use the strobe at a 45 degree angle to her? Any advice is welcome.


50mm
f/11
1/125 sec
ISO 200

PS, the strobe I used was a Photogenic 320 shot through an umbrella 45 degrees to her at camera left.

[Benji]

When photographing children, relatively flat lighting is perfectly acceptable, in fact most mothers prefer near flat lighting over deep dark shadows. The main light was just a bit low however, but not so low that it looks unnatural.

Yes you could use window light to illuminate the background but you will need to use a rather long shutter speed and that is usually not an option when photographing children, so if you want light on the background I suggest a background light. For a long time I simply took one of those cheap Chinese $60.00 flash units and attached it to the ceiling about one half way in between the background and the subject. I aimed it at the (white) ceiling so when it fired (via optical slave) it illuminated both the background and the hair of the subject, serving two purposes at one time.

Benji

[mandyatm]

Thanks Benji! Do you know where I might find one of these Chinese doohickeys? That sounds like a great idea to attach it to the ceiling, maybe I should just find a cheap strobe off of ebay for that purpose. I will raise my light next time, thanks for the feedback.