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**eccs19** · 02-06-2011, 10:34 AM

I got some time to play with my home studio setup, and looking for critique on the lighting more than anything. It was just me, so I was taking the pictures, playing with the lighting, posing for the camera, etc., so keep that in mind. Given, how does it look? Flash was to camera right with reflective umbrella, reflector on camera left. Second picture has a bit of extra light on the background. Wasn't as noticeable as I was hoping, but you can see a bit of a difference.

1. No flash on back ground.

2. Flash on back ground.

**Ash** · 02-06-2011, 10:50 AM

It's hard to appreciate the effect of the background light here, or it's just subtle and I'm not seeing it. This would probably work better on a darker background, and even better with a featured background (some details) that can be thrown OOF.

As for subject lighting, the setup is good in theory, but it seems that the light has still come out quite harshly, casting significant shadow areas. I take it the reflective umbrella and flash were placed pretty close to the subject. If so, try setting it up a little more further away, and the reflector in the same place - this should even out the lighting a little more (but require more flash power).

It also may be slightly overexposed, and the colour balance could be altered slightly to cool down the temperature and produce more natural skin tones. Otherwise pretty good.

C-Factor · 02-06-2011, 12:51 PM

Looks good, but maybe a little less flash power to bring out some detail on the right side. Just curious, but was this done with a hot shoe flash or a stronger studio type flash and was it a shoot through or reflective setup? Only reason I ask, is I find my Pentax 540 flash does not light up my larger shoot through umbrellas very uniformly and creates a hot spot in the central upper part compared to using a stronger light source. With better uniform light coming from your unbrella it is a little easier to create soft light. Sometimes I will thow a diffuser on the 540 when using a larger shoot through, but then at least another stop of light is lost. This does help even the light source out a little though.

**eccs19** · 02-06-2011, 01:31 PM

Originally posted by C-Factor

Looks good, but maybe a little less flash power to bring out some detail on the right side. Just curious, but was this done with a hot shoe flash or a stronger studio type flash and was it a shoot through or reflective setup? Only reason I ask, is I find my Pentax 540 flash does not light up my larger shoot through umbrellas very uniformly and creates a hot spot in the central upper part compared to using a stronger light source. With better uniform light coming from your unbrella it is a little easier to create soft light. Sometimes I will thow a diffuser on the 540 when using a larger shoot through, but then at least another stop of light is lost. This does help even the light source out a little though.

Reflective umbrella. Flash is an older Pentax AF280T. Not a super powerful flash, and not totally controllable. I'm going to try again with the umbrella moved, and play a bit more with my reflector.

Thanks for the tips to both of you.

**eccs19** · 02-06-2011, 02:09 PM

Did some changes to my lighting. Moved the umbrella a little closer to the camera, ditched the reflector, and use the low powered flash I was using on the back ground to fill in somewhat on the front. I was getting some strange shadows from the flash on my background, so I took and old plastic bag, and put it over the flash, and that fixed the background issue. I then took another low powered flash (a little more power than the first one), and put it onto the background. I think it looks better, what about you experts who know more about lighting than I do?

**Ash** · 02-06-2011, 07:00 PM

So now you can see the lighting is both more even and exposure less burnt out.
But now it looks a touch flat - it's a fine balance.
Then again, there's some work you can do in PP to enhance the image and the skin textures.
(And you have a pesky dust spot there too now

)

**eccs19** · 02-06-2011, 08:05 PM

Originally posted by Ash

And you have a pesky dust spot there too now

)

Ya, that was there before, but forgot to clone it out this edit. Your right about it being tough to get a good light balance. It's a loose loose situation.

**Fontan** · 02-06-2011, 09:24 PM

If your facial plane is parallel to the plane of the sensor, then I think that it makes it difficult to manipulate lighting that enhances certain facial features. It becomes to me infinitely easier if you would just tilt side ways a bit.

02-06-2011, 10:34 AM	#1
eccs19 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Lisle, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,510	Playing with Lighting Lens: Sigma 105mm macro Camera: K7 Photo Location: Home ISO: 200 Shutter Speed: 1/150s Aperture: F5.6 I got some time to play with my home studio setup, and looking for critique on the lighting more than anything. It was just me, so I was taking the pictures, playing with the lighting, posing for the camera, etc., so keep that in mind. Given, how does it look? Flash was to camera right with reflective umbrella, reflector on camera left. Second picture has a bit of extra light on the background. Wasn't as noticeable as I was hoping, but you can see a bit of a difference. 1. No flash on back ground. 2. Flash on back ground.

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02-06-2011, 10:50 AM	#2
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	It's hard to appreciate the effect of the background light here, or it's just subtle and I'm not seeing it. This would probably work better on a darker background, and even better with a featured background (some details) that can be thrown OOF. As for subject lighting, the setup is good in theory, but it seems that the light has still come out quite harshly, casting significant shadow areas. I take it the reflective umbrella and flash were placed pretty close to the subject. If so, try setting it up a little more further away, and the reflector in the same place - this should even out the lighting a little more (but require more flash power). It also may be slightly overexposed, and the colour balance could be altered slightly to cool down the temperature and produce more natural skin tones. Otherwise pretty good.

02-06-2011, 12:51 PM	#3
C-Factor Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Posts: 113	Looks good, but maybe a little less flash power to bring out some detail on the right side. Just curious, but was this done with a hot shoe flash or a stronger studio type flash and was it a shoot through or reflective setup? Only reason I ask, is I find my Pentax 540 flash does not light up my larger shoot through umbrellas very uniformly and creates a hot spot in the central upper part compared to using a stronger light source. With better uniform light coming from your unbrella it is a little easier to create soft light. Sometimes I will thow a diffuser on the 540 when using a larger shoot through, but then at least another stop of light is lost. This does help even the light source out a little though.

02-06-2011, 01:31 PM	#4
eccs19 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Lisle, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,510 Original Poster	Originally posted by C-Factor Looks good, but maybe a little less flash power to bring out some detail on the right side. Just curious, but was this done with a hot shoe flash or a stronger studio type flash and was it a shoot through or reflective setup? Only reason I ask, is I find my Pentax 540 flash does not light up my larger shoot through umbrellas very uniformly and creates a hot spot in the central upper part compared to using a stronger light source. With better uniform light coming from your unbrella it is a little easier to create soft light. Sometimes I will thow a diffuser on the 540 when using a larger shoot through, but then at least another stop of light is lost. This does help even the light source out a little though. Reflective umbrella. Flash is an older Pentax AF280T. Not a super powerful flash, and not totally controllable. I'm going to try again with the umbrella moved, and play a bit more with my reflector. Thanks for the tips to both of you.

02-06-2011, 02:09 PM	#5
eccs19 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Lisle, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,510 Original Poster	Did some changes to my lighting. Moved the umbrella a little closer to the camera, ditched the reflector, and use the low powered flash I was using on the back ground to fill in somewhat on the front. I was getting some strange shadows from the flash on my background, so I took and old plastic bag, and put it over the flash, and that fixed the background issue. I then took another low powered flash (a little more power than the first one), and put it onto the background. I think it looks better, what about you experts who know more about lighting than I do?

02-06-2011, 07:00 PM	#6
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	So now you can see the lighting is both more even and exposure less burnt out. But now it looks a touch flat - it's a fine balance. Then again, there's some work you can do in PP to enhance the image and the skin textures. (And you have a pesky dust spot there too now )

02-06-2011, 08:05 PM	#7
eccs19 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Lisle, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,510 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ash And you have a pesky dust spot there too now ) Ya, that was there before, but forgot to clone it out this edit. Your right about it being tough to get a good light balance. It's a loose loose situation.

02-06-2011, 09:24 PM	#8
Fontan Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: 5th floor Posts: 1,610	If your facial plane is parallel to the plane of the sensor, then I think that it makes it difficult to manipulate lighting that enhances certain facial features. It becomes to me infinitely easier if you would just tilt side ways a bit.

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