Fist time using hair light

[OkNewbie]

This is the first time I've used hair lighting. Welcome all comments concerning lighting -- what could have been done better or placement? Key light 45 degrees to camera left with 24 x 36 softbox. Fill 45 deg to camera right shot through white umbrella. Hair light shot through 24" strip softbox and background light.

any other comments welcome also.

1/200
f 9
38mm focal length
ISO 100

[Lorry]

Hi,
There is no photo

[OkNewbie]

Sorry, I cant get it to recognize the Flickr link...any suggestions?

[justin_ing]

With what you had, I would have light the camera right side of her face instead. So main light camera right 45, and hairlight from behind her on camera left. You could then use the 3rd for fill on the rest of her neck and face but probably 3-4 stops less than the main.

I suggest this cause the key lights in her eyes seem to distract since it matches with the gaps in her teeth. With the setup above, you would only have 1 key light in her eyes.

[SusanH1970]

She's a cutie! Looks like the focus fell on the top of her head, though, her eyes and face are quite soft. I'd have pulled her away from the background too, it's competing with her. The crop is pretty tight, too, was this in-camera or in post?

[BigFuzzy]

+1 to all that Susan said.

To add, in my opinion, one of the best benefits of a hair light is that it separates the subject from the background.. but only if the subject is suffiently far enough from the background and the background isn't so distracting. Both the patters and the part of the chair seen in the image are distracting and don't allow for the subject to pop out.

Also, did you do some skin smoothing? It seems so to me and I'm not a big fan (but that's a style/taste issue).

[OkNewbie]

Thanks guys...I appreciate the comments. How far is appropriate to pull the subject away from background for good separation? This was shot in a tight space and she was pretty close to it.

Susan..I agree with the focus issue...yes, it did fall to the top of head and would have been much better spot-on with the eyes. The tight crop was in post.

BigFuzzy...Yes, I did use skin smoothing.

Until recently i've only had two strobes, but have acquired two additional and just playing around to figure all out.

This was one of those shots of my daughter when it suddenly struck me that she is growing up...and I don't think I'm ready for that yet!