Rookie at Studio - Tips Needed Please

MDalby

I am going to be taking a team photo in a gym. We will be wearing tuxedos. The coach would like to have the background dark. I found a shot that has a similar look and feel to what I want to manufacture.

1. Is this simply just under exposing by a stop or two using shutter and aperture?
2. For the background lighting, I need to use an umbrella?
3. How do I get the star effect on the background lights?
4. I only have 4 flashes: (2) SB-800 Speedlights and (2) 1800 White Lightnings. So I guess I will use the Speedlights with the umbrellas for the background lighting and the White Lightnings for the subject lighting?

Here is another shot of his set up.



Any tips are greatly appreciated. I really need to nail this team shot.

Thanks in advance for any help!

MD

MDalby

I haven't used umbrellas before. What kind should I get? Silver, translucent? Can you give me an exact link to a type of umbrella you recommend? Cheaper is always better if you catch my drift.

Thanks,

MD

Sam

Please note I haven't done anything like this but I would start with a dark room, and use camera setting that would not use what ever small amount of ambient light remains.

Now create a spear or area of whatever shape is desired with your lights. Flag the lights so you don't get light spill all over the place. If you use rim lights I wouldn't have them visible. I just want to see the final image not the light setup.

Once you have your lights set for your defined area you will can then play with power settings and tweak the light locations and or modifiers to achieve the look your gong for.

As for the star effect, that is caused by a stopped down aperture.

IMHO I don't think the examples you posted are worth a hoot.

Sam

MDalby

Sam,

Thank you for the response.

When I say I want to manufacture this look, what I mean is I want it to look more dark on the edge of the frame and just highlight the players.

I kinda agree that the flash in the background of the photo can be good or bad. Composition is a new thing for me. I have been mostly shooting action sports where the games takes care of the composition for me. I think I agree with you to not have them in the photo.

I think I am going to start out with a lit room and just stop down my settings to have a dark room and then add flash in the background and on the subject and see if that gets the look I am looking for.

angevin1

MDalby wrote: »

I think I am going to start out with a lit room and just stop down my settings to have a dark room and then add flash in the background and on the subject and see if that gets the look I am looking for.

It will! And thats when you'll realize why you bought those WL's! The SB's placed high and behind without modifers will give you those back lights too. Personally I prefer this over the GS thing we discussed the other day/Thread. Also, the Stars and the number of points are related to the number of blades your aperture iris has.

MDalby

I thought I would share how things turned out on this project.

Here are my shots and the progression that I ended up with. The PhotoShop work was entirely done by a friend of mine that is really good. I could never do this on my own.

Original Photo:



PhotoShop Photo:



This is my finished product that I used for the high school

redleash

Looks nice!

kitkos

I like!

moose135

I agree - I really like the final product, Mark!

FlyNavy

Nice job Mark!

Svennie

Nice shot! To nitpick:
- the chairs don't add anything to the shot, although I like the poses of the two guys. I would have used basket balls in stead.
- the photoshopping is not that good: you can see blue lines in and around their hair and cloths... The flash light bounces back in blue, which gives a blue cast. Maybe stick to the color of the flexible wall, but smooth it out completely.
In any case, the end result is much, much better than the two photos in your original post!

Art Scott

Very well done


...

next time use a black back drop :~}