Help reproducing this shot...

[erincarter]

A friend of mine would like me to take a picture of her to kind of match the attached picture. It's a picture of her great grandmother and it looks just like my friend.

I know I'm gonna have to give it that old/vintage look in photoshop just wondering if anyone has any tips on how to set up the lighting? I have 2 sb600 I can use on light stands with umbrella's. I also have a DIY backdrop stand and a black and a white sheet I use for backdrops.

Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated. She's coming over tomorrow afternoon
Thanks

[autofocus]

the hardest part will be to duplicate the nice soft background. If you have a fast lens, it may be easier to get this look with window light camera right and a reflector camera left.

[erincarter]

I've got a 35mm f/1.8 and a 70-200mm f/28. Don't really have a window that will get the proper light though...

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by erincarter

I've got a 35mm f/1.8 and a 70-200mm f/28. Don't really have a window that will get the proper light though...

using your lights will probably call for an f/stop of around F/5.6 - f/8, neither will give you that nice soft background....you have no way you can take advantage of natural light?

[erincarter]

there is one window I might be able to use but it will be late afternoon and the sunlight won't be coming in directly through the window

[edbayani]

after all the good advice, i think it is best to have somebody copy somewhat the hairstyle of that era and some clothes that are not too modern.

[BigFuzzy]

If window light isn't an option, make sure the light you do use is a very large light source seeing as the light hitting her her is soft.

Seeing the catchlights, there appear to have been only one light and above her and a bit camera right. So if you can't use proper lights (ie studio-ish or strobist style with a large light modifier, then at minimum you need to bounce your hotshoe flash up and to the right a bit hoping that the wall/ceiling duplicates the light I mentioned above (IF I'm right, it's 630am here!)

Good luck, hope this helps, post results!

EDIT: Opps somehow missed the part where you had sb600's and umbrellas. I'd use one of those a bit camera right and high up shooting down. The size of your umbrellas (therefore, size of your light) will determine how close you need to be. Seeing as they are sb600's you might be able to use high-speed sync flash so that you can use 2.8 or so. I'd try 70mm at 2.8 to start with not knowing exactly what your lights can put out.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by erincarter

there is one window I might be able to use but it will be late afternoon and the sunlight won't be coming in directly through the window

You don't need direct sun light Erin, just the brightness of the light the window offers. They often say a north facing window is the best for this purpose, so direct sun light is not an issue.

[erincarter]

I also don't know if I'll be able to use my 70-200 lens as I don't know if I'll have enough room in the living room I'll be shooting in...lol. Think I might have to use the 35mm instead.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by erincarter

I also don't know if I'll be able to use my 70-200 lens as I don't know if I'll have enough room in the living room I'll be shooting in...lol. Think I might have to use the 35mm instead.

The 35 should be fine..it's a nice lens, we also have it. If your available light allows I would suggest for best clarity to stop it down a bit..maybe f/2.8 - f/3.3. Find a usable window or doorway, setup your backdrop as far away from your subject as possible, use a reflector or white board opposite the main light source, focus on the near eye, and go for it