OK, folks have been asking for this so here goes...

Here's a recent shot and the lighting diagram using Kevin's super new light shapes.

The Setup:

That's a really nice photograph Todd.

About damn time someone used this diagram thingy!!! Just kidding. I'll update the ps file with the new light shapes you requested shortly... been a bit busy.

Kevin

Thanks Kevin.

It's so nice to have the room now to pull something like this off.

No rush! Seriously consider my offer in the other thread on the Ill. files.

That's really cool! Thanks TJ, and KKev.... Really helps

Hey Kevin, those shapes are cool. Are they available to us folk?

Thanks Phil

Quite nice. I hope to be able to afford to make something like this someday.

pwcphoto wrote:
Hey Kevin, those shapes are cool. Are they available to us folk?

Thanks Phil

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/446987

Thanks Todd for the lighting diagram and thanks Kevin for the shapes.

Hi Todd,
I think it will be clearer if you could put a note on each of the light with info about the setting (ie F8) as well as the purpose of the light being there.(ie hair light) It would help the reader (mostly newbies who are trying to learn) and try to understand why you are trying to set it up that way you have. Thanks again.

David,

First, the diagram is mostly for my reference so the setting of each light was not that big a deal and I don't meticulously record what each light meters at.

Second,
I can't give away all my secrets now, can I?

For everybody that is learning to light, there is no substitute for experience. You can look at all the lighting diagrams you want but there comes a time when you gotta do it to know it.

You gotta blow out the backgrounds and kill your contrast a few times or underexpose things a few times and you have to move those lights closer and further away and see those results before you *really* get it.

Just my opinion on the matter.

Cheers!

Do you usually light your BG like that i.e. 2 umbrellas bounced into the BG? Or is that a setup used specifically for this shot? I am still struggling with how to get a nice evenly lit BG for those shots where I do not want any light falloff on my BG. I have a very small area to work with and only 8 foot ceilings

Usually either umbrellas or sometimes soft boxes. Sometimes just stobes with reflectors and no modifier in front but that gives me light/dark areas.

Do you ever do one light in the center pointed straight back at the BG?

TJ Asher wrote:
David,

First, the diagram is mostly for my reference so the setting of each light was not that big a deal and I don't meticulously record what each light meters at.

Second,
I can't give away all my secrets now, can I?

For everybody that is learning to light, there is no substitute for experience. You can look at all the lighting diagrams you want but there comes a time when you gotta do it to know it.

You gotta blow out the backgrounds and kill your contrast a few times or underexpose things a few times and you have to move those lights closer and further away and see those results before you *really* get it.

Just my opinion on the matter.

Cheers!

Hi Todd,
Thanks for the reply and explaination. Now that does clear up things a bit as I didn't know that the diagram you have posted here were mainly for your referrence.

I agree with you that doing hand on is the best way to learn : )

John Power wrote:
Do you ever do one light in the center pointed straight back at the BG?

Sometimes but only for portraits since I need to hide things like wires and stands and of course, the light itself and that's hard to do with a model moving around.

Hi Todd.
Good work on the setup diagram (& Kevin for the shapes!!).
I like the image pose and angle.
One thing that sticks out for me though is her stomach is a bit pressed out from the jeans. Not flattering IMHO. I know in that situation I'd have no solution (except by hiding it maybe) so I'm pointing it to see if you have ideas on the matter.

Good catch there, Sean.

I could probably Photoshop it and clean it up but I'm lazy. Aside from having her suck it in, there is probably not much else that could be done. Bending the body tends to make little things like that.

Cheers!

seanmcfoto wrote:
Hi Todd.
Good work on the setup diagram (& Kevin for the shapes!!).
I like the image pose and angle.
One thing that sticks out for me though is her stomach is a bit pressed out from the jeans. Not flattering IMHO. I know in that situation I'd have no solution (except by hiding it maybe) so I'm pointing it to see if you have ideas on the matter.


Looking at it the first time it doesn't bother me, but if something needed to be done I'd either try and lighten the shadow some in another layer to blend, or I'd darken the whole thing in another layer and blend to match.

If her arm were by her side I could've avoided that shadow, but because her shirt's open I probably wouldn't pose her that way without some fashion tape.

That's just me, I don't know what he would've done.

I don't imagine she would've been keen moving the arm!

Nicely done, I like the softboxes' position..


And, she's hot.

seanmcfoto wrote:
I don't imagine she would've been keen moving the arm!

True

But fashion tape works photographic wonders. It defies gravity and other laws of physics.

What is fashion tape.

Fashion tape is a clear, double-sided tape.

We tried that but it didn't work so we used some good ol' fashioned gaffers tape.

Great picture,

As soon as I get a chance to shooot, I will post diagram/photo.

thanks for sharing