Feedback on amateur home studio

MileHighAko

I've been building a home studio in my basement for fun and learning, and would love some feedback as to any immediate gotchas or things missing. Following is pretty much my setup for now:

I understand that every shoot is different, but I'm looking to establish a baseline to start from. As you can see from the above, I have:

Seamless paper background (white)
1 AB800 background light
1 AB800 with large softbox as main light
1 SB-600 on shoot through umbrella as hair light (on a boom so it's above model)

I'm triggering these lights using CLS to the hair light (D7000 in commander mode with pop-up flash), then light triggering the alien bees units. It's a small studio so I can manually adjust the AB800s pretty easily, but I don't know if that is the best way to be triggering those lights. I have some wireless triggers, but I don't understand the value in using them in this situation (have them for outdoors work).

Also, from my reading it seems I am missing a "fill light". Where would you suggest that would go? I have another SB-600 and shoot through umbrella I could use, and am guessing lower on the right is the best place?

Thanks for your feedback.

ziggy53

A "true" fill light comes from the same axis as the lens and generally you position it just above the lens. If you don't have room for it there the next best place is just to the side of the lens as high as possible or at an equal but opposite angle to the key light.

TonyL

Agreed with Ziggy.
I used to think fill light was on a 45 from the main, but then you get flat lighting.
I usually shoot at 1/250 at f4 so meter your lights from there.
Don't forget to include ambient light as well!
I didn't do that and I had some shots that looked point and shoot-ish.