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12-03-2017, 07:53 AM   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by RAART Quote
Slight disagreement on your last point, but this is personal choice or how you see the light and maybe personal preference. I always like when the light that comes from softbox is from last third to the edge, does not matter what side, upper, lower, left or right. To me is more flattering and light that comes from the middle wraps nicely around subject. I think that softbox pointing down or straight should be left to OP to experiment with and not simply just "avoid it". You may get surprised with the results you will get.



Also I think that mostly flashes have output of 5600K and it is not good idea to mix with flashes or strobes unless they are approximately same temperature...
Keeping the soft box parallel to the subject limits the light fall off that is shown in the samples. I wouldn’t be surprised by the results I get, as I spent much of my 40 year career as a photographer in the studio. I know my way around studio lights and modifiers.

At no point did I imply that the OP should mix light sources. I’m not sure where you read that into my post.

Having said that, LED strips are available in 5000K colour temp, it’s really unlikely that 600K would even be noticeable in the final image, presuming there isn’t some other reason the LEDs wouldn't work.

12-03-2017, 08:13 AM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by Wheatfield Quote
Keeping the soft box parallel to the subject limits the light fall off that is shown in the samples. I wouldn’t be surprised by the results I get, as I spent much of my 40 year career as a photographer in the studio. I know my way around studio lights and modifiers.
Hey, this is your opinion and I have mine...

I will leave to OP to experiment with and maybe we will some results soon.
12-03-2017, 09:35 AM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by RAART Quote
Hey, this is your opinion and I have mine...

I will leave to OP to experiment with and maybe we will some results soon.
A lot to consider and experiment with. Thanks to both of you for the awesome suggestions. I will definitely try them out and hopefully, I will find a solution to my issue.

---------- Post added 12-03-17 at 08:38 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Wheatfield Quote
Keeping the soft box parallel to the subject limits the light fall off that is shown in the samples. I wouldn’t be surprised by the results I get, as I spent much of my 40 year career as a photographer in the studio. I know my way around studio lights and modifiers.

At no point did I imply that the OP should mix light sources. I’m not sure where you read that into my post.

Having said that, LED strips are available in 5000K colour temp, it’s really unlikely that 600K would even be noticeable in the final image, presuming there isn’t some other reason the LEDs wouldn't work.
I've always tried the angle down method because of the whole, "Rembrandt light, interesting light" argument. It's something that has been repeated over and over again (no formal training, just message boards, and online tutorials). If I'm keeping the softbox parallel would it become more of a side lighting effect? Or would I still be getting those "interesting shadows"? I know a lot of this comes down to personal taste and opinion, but I'd love your opinion on this.
12-03-2017, 04:20 PM - 3 Likes   #19
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The creative control is entirely up to you, Reivax. You can use one flash as I did below to get an even exposure from top to bottom the way you do in fashion photography. It's more distant and positioned lower than simply pointed at the forehead as some of your examples might be, and the harder shadows make for an editorial, contrasty look as you might find on a magazine cover.


This may not suit you.


You'd otherwise fill the torso and legs separately with say a lowered umbrella, maybe a stop down from the face, for which you might use a gridded softbox or even a beauty dish. You'd be achieving a softer look.


Part of the reason those other photographers have tolerated underexposed legs is that another light can influence the background illumination, too, whereas a single light up high pointing down 45 degrees is hitting the floor. But hey, we're photographers, we're big boys, we know we have to get both the background and subject lit the way we like, that's the art of the setup.





Last edited by clackers; 12-03-2017 at 04:27 PM.
12-03-2017, 09:26 PM - 1 Like   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by clackers Quote
The creative control is entirely up to you, Reivax. You can use one flash as I did below to get an even exposure from top to bottom the way you do in fashion photography. It's more distant and positioned lower than simply pointed at the forehead as some of your examples might be, and the harder shadows make for an editorial, contrasty look as you might find on a magazine cover.


This may not suit you.


You'd otherwise fill the torso and legs separately with say a lowered umbrella, maybe a stop down from the face, for which you might use a gridded softbox or even a beauty dish. You'd be achieving a softer look.


Part of the reason those other photographers have tolerated underexposed legs is that another light can influence the background illumination, too, whereas a single light up high pointing down 45 degrees is hitting the floor. But hey, we're photographers, we're big boys, we know we have to get both the background and subject lit the way we like, that's the art of the setup.

Wow, that is a great shot and exactly the type of lighting I'd love to have. I will definitely attempt that. Thank you a lot.
12-03-2017, 09:54 PM - 1 Like   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by clackers Quote
You can use one flash as I did below
Was there natural ambient light behind you as well, or is the front of the model entirely lit from your flash? Her eye light is fairly large, so I'm wondering if you had also a large windowed wall behind you.
12-04-2017, 12:55 AM - 1 Like   #22
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QuoteOriginally posted by Alex645 Quote
Was there natural ambient light behind you as well, or is the front of the model entirely lit from your flash? Her eye light is fairly large, so I'm wondering if you had also a large windowed wall behind you.
If you have a look at the catchlight, Alex, it's a single softbox, very close to the centre of her iris.

12-09-2017, 08:29 AM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by reivax Quote
A lot to consider and experiment with. Thanks to both of you for the awesome suggestions. I will definitely try them out and hopefully, I will find a solution to my issue.

---------- Post added 12-03-17 at 08:38 AM ----------



I've always tried the angle down method because of the whole, "Rembrandt light, interesting light" argument. It's something that has been repeated over and over again (no formal training, just message boards, and online tutorials). If I'm keeping the softbox parallel would it become more of a side lighting effect? Or would I still be getting those "interesting shadows"? I know a lot of this comes down to personal taste and opinion, but I'd love your opinion on this.
You wanted to know how to get away from uneven exposure with a single light source. Your Rembrandt lighting desire is not consistent with wanting even lighting top to bottom. As soon as you tilt the light, there is going to be fall off. If the light it close to the subject, that fall off is going to be very rapid, as it is an inverse square proportion (double the distance, get 1/4 the light).
I did a really fast image search of Rembrandt lighting, and practically every example I saw was for head and shoulder to half length pictures, which matches my experience that this lighting type doesn't work well with full length pictures.
Keeping the softbox parallel, or at least more parallel will give more of a side lighting effect, but that is how you are going to cure the light fall off in a single light setup.
Pretty much, you can have your Rembrandt lighting, or you can have more even light, but you can't have both in a one light setup.
12-13-2017, 03:20 AM   #24
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12-14-2017, 10:31 PM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by RAART Quote
That was a great video! Thank you for posting that.
12-14-2017, 10:44 PM   #26
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QuoteOriginally posted by reivax Quote
That was a great video! Thank you for posting that.
Chris is a Pentax shooter - is he using his 645Z in that video?
12-14-2017, 10:52 PM - 1 Like   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by clackers Quote
Chris is a Pentax shooter - is he using his 645Z in that video?
Yes, he is using 645Z in video
12-14-2017, 10:54 PM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by RAART Quote
Yes, he is using 645Z in video
Good to hear. I've got his book on Amazon/Kindle.

You can help a brother out by buying it too.
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