Trying to make "Garage" light (feedback wanted)

divamum

I would LOVE feedback on if this works, ways to make it work better, other ideas ... anything you gotz. I have another headshot shoot on Weds for a 6'2" friend, so I'm looking for improved use of the (limited) space in my house that will let me better pose him, as well as getting some good natural light shots.

Inspired by Mitchell's shots in the garage (and also this photographer, whose work I've just discovered and really like), I'm trying to come up with a space at home that will offer me the natural light I crave, but a bit more space than my living room (my living room has great windows but, as I discovered in my shoot last week, it's just awfully close quarters to shoot tall adults in there! It would be fine if I could remove all the furniture, but since I can't - we do actually have to live here :rofl - it's tight.)

In any case, I'm experimenting with my porch. It's about 6'6"x20 so it's narrow, but the extra length is making a HUGE difference in being able to back up, while seating my subject further away from the BG, and giving me some extra space when shooting taller folks (these were tested on The Child, but hubby did some standing in too, and it works fine at adult height).

For these, I just clipped my black 5x7' popout background to the side railing. Not perfect (I'd love to find a piece of cheap vinyl flooring that looks like solid stone, or stucco perhaps), but ok for starters. Again, I LOVE the look in this shot , which is sort of what I'm trying to figure out, and if anybody wants to reverse engineer that, I'd love to hear what you think. (Perusing her other shots I'm guessing she's got big windows and/or adds softboxes as fill in that softer look - but would love to hear from more expert shooters than me).

My reservations at the moment are:

- the line across the bg where the railing stops and the light bleeds through behind (I guess I"ll just need to put something else behind it? Or, if I can find it cheap, a sheet of vinyl as described above...)

- using only a reflector, I had to push the ISO higher than I like for a portrait. These were at 800 which is ok, but 200 or 400 would be better. I may try to throw in a pop of fill flash so I can lower the iso, either bouncing off the (light grey) house, or through a 45" shoothru. I'll try that next time out.

In the meantime, here are two test shots, pretty much SOOC except for basic processing - both were taking using the 135L (there's actually enough room to back up so I can use it, which I can't inside the house). House is to camera right; other three sides are open, and gold reflector is in front of subject:






I'm not sure I've got all the kinks worked out yet, but I think this light may be useable if I can figure out how to control it a bit better. Any thoughts?

Also, just found the best cheap posing stool EVER (I got it at my local Ollies discount house, but they must around elsewhere too) - $10, it folds, it comes in black and white (I'm seriously considering going back for a white one), it's padded and comfortable, and it's narrow enough that it's easy to reverse and straddle while using the back of it to lean on. SCORE!



(yes, that is my ugly chainlink fence in the bg. I hate it with a passion I can scarcely describe, but it's about the only thing the previous owners did professionally, the posts have roots in about Australia, and it would cost a fortune to remove and replace. We keep trying to grow things over it, with only limited success....)

divamum

Bueller? Bueller? Anybody?

Shoot's tomorrow, so still thinking about how i can use this. I realise the test shots aren't high art but I didn't think they were quite that scary bad (or are they?! :yikes :giggle ) I'm looking for lighting feedback rather than anything else, and particularly interested in other people's take on the shot I linked above - I'm just trying to figure out how she got those results.

Thanks!

r3t1awr3yd

A lot of your photogs pictures just look like one softbox off 45* and up to the right of the camera and a reflector off 45* and to the left below the camera for fill. It's basically clamshell lighting shifted 45*.

Cheap man's clamshell in color:


I did this when I first started doing lighting studies on another website. It's just a worklight hung from the ceiling with a reflector beneath the camera for fill. *shrugs*. If your background needs to go away, crank up the main light and use the magic of light fall off

(I've since invested in some cheap strobes and a speedlight... totally worth it.)

EDIT: Some of her shots do just look like big lights coming through a window but you can always fake that with a strobe behind the window and a sheet hung up behind it to soften the light.

adbsgicom

The light seems to have a nice gradient across her face, so it looks like you achieved your goal. Glad you found a place where you can unleash your 135 f/2....

Elaine

From a previous thread, I was going to ask/suggest if you had an outdoor area that would work. I've also read of some photogs stepping outside an open sliding glass door onto their deck/yard and shooting the subject inside. The large windows provide the nice light inside but stepping outside allows longer lenses to be used.

It sounds like you've found a spot that may work out. I've picked up a large piece of tile board from the local home improvement store ($14) that I think could be fun to use on a patio (haven't tried it yet). Perhaps it could even serve as a background stand...draping black over it while it leans against a railway would prevent the light bleed...maybe?

I'm curious to know what you ended up doing for your shoot.

Qarik

the light seems okay but not great. it's too even imo. can you set up your umbrella here?

divamum

Thanks guys!

R3, I use clamshell a lot - I really like it and, even though it's usually touted as a "beauty" setup, I"ve found it remarkably flattering for a lot of different face types. It's easy, it's even and it looks good. I may try the 45* offset idea and see what that looks like - well spotted.

Qarik, you have nailed what was bugging me about it - that's EXACTLY it. It's too flat. I do definitely need to try it w/umbrella, although I hesitate to do that for a client without testing it first. We'll see how tomorrow goes and if there's room to experiment, I may give it a try. I've come up with another possibility in the living room as well, which worked nicely for my test shots (when the natural light level drops too low, adding flash but bouncing it off the window instead of using a modifier - get the same directional quality, window-frame catchlights, but more light).

Shoot's at 1pm on Weds, so we'll see how we go... Weather's iffy right now anyway -if it's too hot, we won't want to shoot outside at any price, so it'll be trying to boost the indoor nat light and doing a set with the softlighter as key as well ....

Hackbone

Do a search for Fuzzy Duenkel. He mostly goes into the home and he is just crazy about garages to shoot in. His site will give you some ideas. I've seen him use a grill cover for a background and it was to die for. This is the site http://www.duenkel.com/hs_seniors/index.html

Hackbone

Divamum, alot of your photos are broad lighted. This makes the face fatter. Try the main coming in over the front shoulder and turn the head into the light. Use something to block the overhead light and see how you like that.

divamum

Thanks Hackbone. I just wish I HAD a garage!!! ETA: thanks for the link - some terrific work indeed.

Also, am I misunderstanding broad lighting? The light was coming from camera left, and behind me - to me, the light looks strongest on the left side of her face (although, as Qarik pointed out - and I agree - it's too flat), and thus isn't that short lit since it's the side furthest from camera in this pose? The porch is open behind her, to the left, and behind the camera (light was strongest behind me) - right hand side is the house.

Thanks for further explanation - appreciated!

Qarik

yeah..light is coming from the left..so your okay in that respect..but it's hard to tell since there is not much fall off

divamum

Oy. Mid-June, and it might as well be 4pm in February for all the light there is outside today. I think I'm gonna be doomed to using artificial light no matter what!! More later................