2nd time out with off-camera flash

M38A1

I'm still learning, that's for sure.....

This afternoon, my friend Mike and I spent some time in his upstairs garage project just playing around with the camera and flash to learn. The objective was to use some natural light and again play with the flash. Here's a couple from the shoot I think he can add to his work portfolio.

I know I took away some more knowledge on this flash stuff..... My biggest take-away is how little post processing is required with flash. Get the composition right, get the flash right, try to work the shadows and shape the light, shoot and you're done.

I see little things now like small shadows here and there. What else do you see I can work on next time out?

Natural light with a large reflector camera low/left. Bright cloudy/rainy late afternoon.
#1


Shoot-thru umbrella camera left, silver reflector low camera right
#2


SB700 strobe flagged off on the backside. One each side about 45 degrees in front of the subject
#3


Same setup as above
#4


#5





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Hackbone

Nice job on balancing both type of lighting.

M38A1

Thank you.... Your shots and pullback shots make this look easy, but man do I have a LOT to learn.

I was using two off-camera strobes at times. Is it a placement error, or a lack of a third or a reflector down low/front to eliminate the raccoon eye (#3) shadows? Or is either a viable solution?

Hackbone

Your light or lights seem to be more toward the rear of his head. My eye seems to see more light on the side of the face than the front. It is if not enough light is wrapping around your subject to light the eyes. Traditional light placement is on a 45 axis both horizontal and vertical. Yours seems to be more or a 70ish. Hope that is clear.

M38A1

For 3/4/5 there were two bare SB700's approximately 5' in front and to the side at 45* to the subject. Height was about head high. I DID however have them flagged off on the backsides (back wall side) to try and kill spillover light to the background. Will certainly have to explore more on placement, height, and flagging as I did.

Thanks again.

Hackbone

Looking at his eyes and the very front plane of his nose doesn't it look light there is less light hitting it. That is why I thought the lights were further back. At a 45 the nose should have been lit.