Self portrait - Lighting query

[zona5101]

Shoot through or bounce umbrella really wont matter much...but if it's a shoot through translucent white, then shoot it as a shoot through.

Lowering your light will increase the chance that the shadows will appear on your background. Imaging the shadow thats on your neck in the original post. Moving the light up forces the shadow down and moving it down will have the opposite effect.

ISO will definitely make a difference. There are 3 variables in the flash equation: aperture, flash power (including flash to subject distance) and ISO. Shutter speed doesn't play into the flash portion of the exposure. Increasing ISO will be like opening your aperture (going from f8 to f4). Generally that will be the last lever to pull to get to desired results. Since you were already at f9.5 iso 400 I might even lower the ISO to 200 and increase the flash output so you can stay around that same aperture.

btw, I am speaking of manual flash. Not ittl or ettl.

[kuul13]

Originally Posted by zona5101

Shoot through or bounce umbrella really wont matter much...but if it's a shoot through translucent white, then shoot it as a shoot through.

Lowering your light will increase the chance that the shadows will appear on your background. Imaging the shadow thats on your neck in the original post. Moving the light up forces the shadow down and moving it down will have the opposite effect.

ISO will definitely make a difference. There are 3 variables in the flash equation: aperture, flash power (including flash to subject distance) and ISO. Shutter speed doesn't play into the flash portion of the exposure. Increasing ISO will be like opening your aperture (going from f8 to f4). Generally that will be the last lever to pull to get to desired results. Since you were already at f9.5 iso 400 I might even lower the ISO to 200 and increase the flash output so you can stay around that same aperture.

btw, I am speaking of manual flash. Not ittl or ettl.

I have TTL flash - Sigma Imaging (UK) Ltd. So I will try the following - open aperture more (around 3.5) and lower the ISO to 200 and increase the flash output (though I need to check if I can do it on flash) TTL sets the power of flash automatically based on aperture and focal length i guess. But still I will check that in the manual and finally lower my light. Fingers crossed - hope the shadows vanish and I get much confident by tomorrow Thanks Bruce as always!

[zona5101]

If you get a chance you may want to turn the flash on manual . ittl/ettl takes away some of your control as the camera computer starts to make corrections for you when you might not want it to. If you find how to put the flash on manual there should be several power settings you can choose like 1/64 1/32 1/16 1/8 1/4 1/2 and full power. Setting the power is how we alter the flash output in order to use a desired fstop. So if your flash can't be put into manual, you can use your + or - flash exposure compensation on your camera to give you a bit more control.
Good luck.

[kuul13]

Originally Posted by zona5101

If you get a chance you may want to turn the flash on manual . ittl/ettl takes away some of your control as the camera computer starts to make corrections for you when you might not want it to. If you find how to put the flash on manual there should be several power settings you can choose like 1/64 1/32 1/16 1/8 1/4 1/2 and full power. Setting the power is how we alter the flash output in order to use a desired fstop. So if your flash can't be put into manual, you can use your + or - flash exposure compensation on your camera to give you a bit more control.
Good luck.

Bruce, I tried changing the power from 1/64, 1/4 but nothing worked . Here is the picture with light set behind my camera pointing down and this time I was like 10ft or so from BG. I tried different ISO, also opened the aperture to minimum f4.8. Still the shadow, seems shadow doesn't like to leave me alone. Positive to take is that, I don't see shadow under the chin. Right? Here is the picture.. this time I couldn't stand the backdrop (DIY backdrop) so I used the wall as BG.


EXIF
Camera NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D80
ISO 200
Exposure 1/200 sec
Aperture 4.8
Focal Length 48mm
Flash Used true

Seems like I have to go tomorrow with this setup and work on shadow in post processing or if you have any other suggestion. Thanks being there.

[zona5101]

I'd roll with that. The lighting will be nice and even across your group and the shadow is minimal and stays pretty tight.

After your gig tomorrow we can work on that shadow...I don't want to mess you up trying to get you experimenting when you have a shoot to do. Basically we're going the wrong way on aperture... opening it up (from your f9 to f4.8) we needed to stay up towards f9.
Have a read through this: Rules for Perfect Lighting: Understanding The Inverse-Square Law

here's a video too. I haven't watched it yet but Mark Wallace usually does a good job on explaining stuff...
http://fstoppers.com/photography-mad...rse-square-law