Teaching technique to the clueless beginner learning how to use tools and using them from a framework of experience two different things.
Here\'s the simple logic behind my suggested approach from the standpoint of learning how the tools work on a cause and effect basis.
If you start your way - light the background to the point of clipping to start, a beginner may NEVER see the effect fill and key, regardless how it is placed, on the background. Most beginners don\'t use large open studio spaces so there is nearly always spill onto the background and probably would not dawn on them that its raising the level of light on the background far more than metered. Net result? Nuked background and flare. Exactly the why the OP started this thread. He\'s already doing it your way, more or less, and its not working.
On the other hand of you start without any background lights and first set the lights on the subject is will be very obvious, even two the clueless newbie, how the key and fill is spilling onto the background and affecting exposure. Starting with the background darker and bringing it up to the foreground perceptually also requires no metering. All that is necessary its to look a the rim lighting, as in may example and adjust the background until it is visible to the extent desired. So actually my approach is a quicker path to achieving the goal of being able to achieve the desired results visually.
If there is one thing I stress above all else its awareness of the perceptual aspects. Mastering the technical stuff in a systematic way is the quickest way to get the technical roadblocks to creative perceptual vision out of the way.
Chuck
