CC please - off camera flash and portrait newb

whiterice

Had the chance this weekend for a very short and impromptu shoot with a good friend’s daughter.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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This was really my first use of off-camera flash. UPS made a delivery last week – don’t tell my wife! :huh The basic 2 light setup was an B800 camera right using a shoot-thru umbrella. My fill light was also an B800 bounced from an umbrella at half the power of the main light.
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I used my 50mm 1.4 – both shots are f2.5, ISO 100, 1/200 sec.<o:p></o:p>
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I don’t have a light meter – so I basically guessed at my exposure settings and adjusted accordingly - which I thought would be much more difficult than it actually was.
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Shot in RAW, edited in LR and CS4 (some healing, selective sharpening) - her eyes are really that blue. I don’t believe I adjusted the exposure at all in LR – this exposure was SOOC.<o:p></o:p>
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Any C/C would by much appreciated - exposure/posing/lighting setup. :ear
Thank you for taking the time.

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EOS_JD

Really nice images although I feel the skin is just a bit too bright....

Mike J

Congrats on your new toys:D Always fun.

First off - for some odd reason your text is showing black on my screen making it hard to read. Not sure why that is.

I'm just learning the studio lighting ropes but I'm back on a single-flash and a reflector set-up.

When I look at these, my first reactions are:

• What a cutie
• Look a little bright to me
• She is so fair that the white background makes for very little contrast. She must have been very close to the bg to get it so evenly lit.
• The light is very even across the face. There is just a hint of shadow under her nose. Try bring your fill down even more.
• Everything is centered. I would try some different crops.

whiterice

EOS and Mike - thanks for commenting. I have a tough time judging exposure with my uncalibrated monitor (next on my to-do list....some day ). I think you might be right though - perhaps a bit overexposed.

Mike - yup, very fair complexion. She was about 4 feet from the BG - my room is tight and I was too lazy to move things around. Good eye - I was having a tough time figuring the proper height for the fill light. Helpful info.

fyi - I cut/copied/pasted my post from MS word which caused the font to default to black. I think I fixed it.

Qarik

the light is too even for my taste. The point of using off camera lights and umbrellas is to give some dimensionality to the shot. I think you need to turn you fill light down even more in this respect.

very cute little girl though.

Also the eyes seem just a touch soft.

Mike J

whiterice wrote:

Mike - yup, very fair complexion. She was about 4 feet from the BG - my room is tight and I was too lazy to move things around. Good eye - I was having a tough time figuring the proper height for the fill light. Helpful info.

Sorry about not being clear - I was referring to the power of the fill light not the height. As Qarik said, the light from the main and fill appear to be equal which causes the lack of shadows on the face. Where did you have the umbrellas placed? How far away were they from her?

Greensquared

Christopher, I too am having processing issues when it comes to how light to make the skin. Looks fine in PS, but when I post to my gallery - too bright - so I feel for ya there! She is beautiful and it's so handy to have a willing model in the house. As stated, the light is too even, she needs some shadow to add definition. The one time I tried my SB800 with an umbrella it didn't work at all, so you've prompted me to try again!

D'Buggs

HK has many tastes. IMO and from a cal'd monitor, there's plenty of seperation in the skin and BG.

Then I got scratching my bald head - I just did a measurement on #2; her left cheek shows in @ ~240 and think that it should print, just fine, pending your taste buds.

D'Buggs

So while I was at it, I looked at the histogram and tightened up the black point.

EOS_JD

Learn how to read the Histogram and you'll get closer.

whiterice

Thanks everyone.

D'Buggs - like your version. I'll study my histograms better in the future.

Qarik and Greensquared - I appreciate your feedback. Much to learn - and the curve is so steep. I agree, need some shadows. Just need a subject now....

MarkW

Whiterice,

Great start I agree with most of the other comments posted. I do have a question though. I looked at your image exif and I noticed you're shooting with a 50D (same camera I'm using). I am curious to know why you decided to get SB-800's versus canon flashes?

EOS_JD

MarkW wrote:

Whiterice,

Great start I agree with most of the other comments posted. I do have a question though. I looked at your image exif and I noticed you're shooting with a 50D (same camera I'm using). I am curious to know why you decided to get SB-800's versus canon flashes?

Just a guess but I think the flashes are AB800s (Alien Bee Studio lights) Not the SB800 flash guns (I may be wrong though)!?

whiterice

EOS_JD wrote:

Just a guess but I think the flashes are AB800s (Alien Bee Studio lights) Not the SB800 flash guns (I may be wrong though)!?

You're correct - I mistyped in my OP, which I've since corrected. Sorry for the confusion.

Swartzy

Shadows are your friend. One umbrella would suffice for these type shots (head shots) as the lighting is.......everywhere . Try this next time, especially for little headshots (as you don't need a ton of light for such a small subject matter), Put one AB800 and umby say CL, and simply use a piece of foamcore on the right bouncing the existing light. You'll achieve a softer shadow that will provide some facial definition. The light to shadow transition will be smooth and allow for depth in the image. In #2 you can see a slight example as you look at her neck...see the slight shadow? Use those shadows to your advantage...in fact, try to make shadows....you'll learn much more about light.

EOS_JD

whiterice wrote:

You're correct - I mistyped in my OP, which I've since corrected. Sorry for the confusion.

Thought so - Probably the heading was confusing as it's studio lights rather than off camera flash. OCF generally means flash that can be used on-camera being used off (if you know what I mean)