C&C First two strobe portrait!

Wachel

My wife loves me! For Christmas I received a 580ex ii and a 70-200 2.8 is usm II!

So my set up now includes a 7D, 580EX II, 430EX, 17-55 2.8, 70-200 2.8, 60in umbrella, 42in umbrella, 10ft light stand.

CC welcome on this...keep in mind I set this up in less than 5 min with a less than willing model!

The set up:
-7D with 70-200 2.8 (I was going to use my 17-55 2.8 but I wanted to use my new toy!)
-580 bounced in 60in umbrella upper left
-430 bare for hair light behind upper right
-flash ratio was 4:1
-background was a maroon blanket held up by my wife!

ISO 100
120mm
f4
1/160
FEC: -1

wolf911

I think it looks great all the way around. Congrats on the new toy.

Yuri Pautov

I like your work with light!

jiro

Looks mighty fine with me.

Qarik

assuming the 60 in was camera left..judging by the catchlight in her eye I think you could move the the umbrella a LOT closer (just out of camera view). This would soften the light considerably.

Icebear

I have, but don't use very often, a 60" Softlighter too. I find it REALLY big when trying to set up in a small room. It does give nice soft light doesn't it? I like the result you got, but agree with Qarik that you might have moved it a little closer, and not quite so much in front. For my taste, your hair light is a bit strong yet. Drag her back in there and try again. Eventually she'll get used to it. Or you could start bribing her. I have a friend who refers to his seven-year-old daughter as his full-time paid model.

Edit: Oh, the backdrop is great, and your exposure of it, perfect, IMO.

Wachel

Thank you guys! I do love the 60in. I have been using it like crazy for everything. I need to get another light stand for the new flash! Always something, isn't it?

Qarik and John: I agree that moving it closer would be ideal and I will try to do that in the future. This was more of a fixed setup and I had two dogs, a 4 year old boy and my 8 year old girl all trying be crazy/impatient so I wasn't able to move stuff around too much. The background worked out well but I wish it was bigger so I could move her away from it...you can see slight maroon "fringing" on some of her from the light bouncing off of it.

Again, thanks for all the comments and critique. I am always striving to do better and learn and you guys are critical to that.

Qarik

also, for a 60 in umbrella, the positioning/setting of the flash in relations to the umbrella becomes important. Your flash needs to as far away from the umbrella as possible and zoomed out to it's widest angle. If your flash is too close or zoomed in..your 60in umbrella is not taken advantage of..you may only be getting 50 in for example. Try firing the the flash and watch the surface area of the umbrella from the subject POV and see if the entire surface area getting lit up and adjust as neccessary.

Wachel

Qarik wrote: »

also, for a 60 in umbrella, the positioning/setting of the flash in relations to the umbrella becomes important. Your flash needs to as far away from the umbrella as possible and zoomed out to it's widest angle. If your flash is too close or zoomed in..your 60in umbrella is not taken advantage of..you may only be getting 50 in for example. Try firing the the flash and watch the surface area of the umbrella from the subject POV and see if the entire surface area getting lit up and adjust as neccessary.

That is one thing I am very conscious about. Thanks for the reminder. What are your feelings on shoot through versus reflecting? This was reflecting but I usually use shoot through.

Neil van Niekerk's comparison shows that it doesn't make a big difference?

Qarik

hmmm..I always shoot through. never really tried reflecting..I think you get a bit less light spill in shoot through but it probably doesn't make much diff

I just saw your link. yup..with shoot through you get less spill..imo it does make significant difference..look at the shadows on the face.

Wachel

You are right....it is really noticeable on the nose shadow. I think I like the shoot through better! Thanks for pointing that out.

Hackbone

Qarik wrote: »

also, for a 60 in umbrella, the positioning/setting of the flash in relations to the umbrella becomes important. Your flash needs to as far away from the umbrella as possible and zoomed out to it's widest angle. If your flash is too close or zoomed in..your 60in umbrella is not taken advantage of..you may only be getting 50 in for example. Try firing the the flash and watch the surface area of the umbrella from the subject POV and see if the entire surface area getting lit up and adjust as neccessary.

Quarik, a very good hint for folks to remember and live by. Remember the bigger the light and the closer it is to your subject the softer the light. The inverse is true, the smaller the light and the further the light is away from the subject the harsher the light and shadow. Just look at your shadow from the sun as an example.

Shooting thru is just difuseing the light. Try to make a pvc frame and hang a bed sheet over it and even shoot thru that to soften the light. Do a google for Dean Collins Tinker Tubes and read.

zoomer

Looks pretty close to just how the light should be set up.
Trying to figure out why there is a dark area above her left eye where the light is coming from, normally that area should be well lit by the light coming from above left...? Maybe a higher iso would have fixed this and allowed just a bit more ambient into the photo.

RacinRandy

Wachel wrote: »

My wife loves me! For Christmas I received a 580ex ii and a 70-200 2.8 is usm

Lucky Dog!! Ask if she will adopt me for next christmas!!! rofl


Great shot of your Daughter too!

digidrone

I like, its hard to practice when models are not in the mood...