Lighting

[tycooder]

Ive been working with Alien Bee lights Is the white balance and skin tones OK?




Camera: Nikon D90
Exposure: 0.008 sec (1/125)
Aperture: f/13.0
Focal Length: 62 mm
ISO Speed: 100

[natek313]

I think this photo looks great. The only thing I would change is the wrinkle in the backdrop just to the right of his head. But, that's an easy clone job.

Nice job!

[autofocus]

Both look good to me...nice shot

Vinnie

[candleman]

you're using two lights? one on either side of you pointed at his face?

[tycooder]

Here is the set up candleman... Lighting Setup AB800 to camera right above and 45 degrees to subject thru a 36" softbox as Main light about 1/2 power.... AB800 to left of camera above and 45 degrees to subject set at about 1/8 power as a fill light thru a white umbrella iso 100 125th shutter and I believe f11 or so Hope that helps

[candleman]

thanks for that info...


the 45 degrees down is something i do too.. but i fint it need ing a hairlight (i'm a fan of edgelights/hairlights)

theres two ways i can think of you can do it with a 2 light set-up.
1. instead of using your second strobe for fill.. you could use a reflector. and use the ab800 as a hairlight

(slightly more painful)
2. get a smallish mirror on a stand, and angle the mirror to put some light on the back of his head and/or shoulders.

the reason i say that is he has nice light on his face, and theres enough difference for us to see his features.. but the edges kindof fade into the background.
particularly his right shoulder.. because the main light is obviously casting some shadow that way.

if i were you, i'd use a reflector for the fill light, rather than using your flash



also,
as above, i'd clone out the wrinkles on the backdrop

Pose:
i'd have turned his shoulders tust a tad more, and then got him to turn his face a bit more too... as its a lttle straight on.
(but i'm just being picky.. this is actually nice as it is)

i like it..
whte balance looks nice.. maybe a little bit too much skin processing.. but overall it looks great.

[tycooder]

Thanks Jared this is the kind of feedback that I can learn from I appreciate your taking your time to critique and advise Thanks for the tip on the hairlight I had been using a makeshift reflector before I got the 2nd AB 800 and as you say its very effective and frees up a light for the hairlight do you use a snoot or somthing to limit the amount of light and is it set up on the same side as your main light and slightly to the side and behind the subject . Ive been shooting with the white balance set to flash and I see from one of your posts you shoot at 5300k Ill have to try that I tryed to find your lighting setup for your last shoot with that fabulous head on shot of the model in the hoody in "how I shot it" but couldn't Well thanks man for the advise I know I was like a kid with too much candy when I found I could change skin textures but Im learning ....Thanks

[candleman]

all good bud.. yeah.. i go overboard with skin sometimes.. what are you using to process the skin?

as for white balance:
"flash" preset is prettymuch the same. its in the 5300-5600k ballpark

but i do it manually... i just find it more logical that way to think of the entire WB spectrum rather than choosing a preset and not understanding where on the scale that preset fits. so its easier to make correctons than going down to "Flash -3 " then realising "oops, its still not right" and then having to jump to the next preset
but i'm strange

yup, i snoot fairly often.. just depends what i'm doing

i'm pretty sure i sent you a link via visitors message... but here is the thread with strobist stuff... (good man that Brian for starting it)
Strobist: Show us how you took it?
my shot is on page 2

[tycooder]

Hey thanks for all the help I usually do preliminary stuff in aperture then I use the airbrush in picnik for skin
I have Photo shop but Im still intimidated by it and dont use it. Im beginning to learn that less is better in editing.... thanks for the link to the strobist thread

Brendan

[swilliams61]

Very nice! Lighting isn't harsh, and you've captured a nice, relaxed expression.