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05-02-2009, 05:12 PM   #1
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How to...? studio photography question

Hi everybody,

lately I have been trying some studio stuff. Generaly I use one big strobe with softbox and 1-2 flashes. My question is:
How to get rid of nasty shadows on the background, caused by flashes? Do I have to "waste" one flash on background?
Here's what I'm talking about -
setup: softbox to the right up, AF280T on camera direct


and
setup:
softbox to the left, AF160SA on camera direct and AF280T on right down, tilted up (45 degrees) with difuser (cheap one)


thank you for any tips and advices

BR
Peter

PS: FAO moderators: if this is in wrong section feel free to move it, but I assumed it belongs to general photo stuff....

05-02-2009, 06:19 PM   #2
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This probably belongs in the studio section.
Black backdrops show less shadow, but yes, if you want a shadowless background, it costs you one, two or even more heads.
An alternative is to work with reflectors which can bounce light off your main and fill lights onto the background.
It won't eliminate shadows, but it can reduce them.
Adjusting this kind of stuff without modelling lights is a PITA. Use a flashlight with a diffuser on it to get an idea of where your flash is pointed.

Get closer, show less background.
Be dramatic, embrace the shadow.

Use available light rather than flash if it's available. It's easier and it's better.

Another thing to think about is to forget flash and go to continuous lights.
I suspect in the they'll give better results.

Did you know you can make a perfectly workable beauty dish from an aluminium foil pizza pan, a foil pie plate and a light socket with either a hot or a CF bulb?
Aluminum foil platters and bowls and the like are amazingly cheap light modifiers.
05-02-2009, 06:39 PM   #3
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I expect that moving a little farther away from the back ground might help.

JimH
05-02-2009, 08:06 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by jimH Quote
I expect that moving a little farther away from the back ground might help.

JimH
That was what I was going to suggest also. The farther your subject is from the background the easier it is to minimize shadows with flash/strobe work.

05-03-2009, 08:56 AM   #5
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You have a few problems going on with those two pictures.

In the first photo, the strongest lighting is coming from the left of the subject, hence that flash-induced shadow behind her to her right. Assuming you want to stick to your current lighting sou have a couple of options to help reduce that: Either better position your other flash units to fill in that space behind her or do as Wheatfield suggested and redirect some light into those spots.

For picture number two, it's a completely different story. As JimH and Venturi suggested, you can definitely move the chair/subject further away from the backdrop. However, there is this flash-blast above her head that's blowing out that part of the photo and really pronounced shadows to her left and right.

A photo of your setup might help here, but I'm going to assume the shadows are being cast as if you have the other flash units at her head level, to her left and her right and either your on-camera-hotshoe flash pointed above her head or one on a stand blasting from above. You need to try putting the flash units on the sides a bit higher, above her head a bit so the shadows are lower and reduce the intensity of light if you can. That coupled with getting the backdrop farther away from her should help a lot. If you want you can also experiment with a small flash right behind her to light up the backdrop and eliminate or reduce the shadows. All depends on what look you want.

But best of all, you need to play with your equipment, experiment with different positions, angles, heights, and find out what works. Practice truly makes you better

Last edited by George Lama; 05-03-2009 at 09:02 AM.
05-03-2009, 09:18 AM   #6
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I think this can be easily fixed by changing your flash placement. First, position your flash higher in relation to the subject. Try to simulate the position of the sun in the sky. Place your main light higher and closer to your subject. It'll give you better modeling (facial shaows) and will make the shadows less harsh. Moving the subject away from the background helps somewhat, but not nearly as much as moving your light source.
05-03-2009, 09:47 AM   #7
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I would say the two most important steps to take are:

Move your subject further from the background.

Place your light sources higher.

Move your light sources closer to the subject. (Soft light comes from larger apparent light sources.)

Ok, I lied. Three steps.

After doing these three things, you can then experiment with light placement.

05-03-2009, 01:51 PM   #8
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More Ideas

QuoteOriginally posted by MPrince Quote
I would say the two most important steps to take are:

Move your subject further from the background.

Place your light sources higher.

Move your light sources closer to the subject. (Soft light comes from larger apparent light sources.)

Ok, I lied. Three steps.

After doing these three things, you can then experiment with light placement.
Another thought comes to mind and that is to use a medium color background (blue, gray, or some kind of mottled background) with, as we said before, the subject further from the background. Next a small slave flash or light below and behind the subject illuminating the background creating somewhat of a halo affect on the background. This placement will in effect wash out any shadows that were cast on the background by your main lights and also give your subject a pleasing halo of light behind the subject. Another light possibility in addition to the aforementioned, would be a "hair light" behind the subject and aimed at the subject's hair to give some definition to their hair. Just some ideas.

JimH
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