There are already a lot of great shots of studios on here, but I don't want to just take people's stuff, even if I do credit them. so...let me know its ok..and I will post them up on the site along with links for everyone.
Every time I look at your studio photo's I seem to learn something new.
I see that your 2 background strobes both have umbrella's. I've been
using my mini-tripods without umbrella's. I presume the umbrella's help stop
light bleeding back onto the model ?
In my basic training I never had to deal with an overhead strobe
like you have in your photo. Its labelled as a hair light but I presume
it serves more than that ? What is the purpose of this type of over-head
lighting
netimages wrote:
John,
Every time I look at your studio photo's I seem to learn something new.
I see that your 2 background strobes both have umbrella's. I've been
using my mini-tripods without umbrella's. I presume the umbrella's help stop
light bleeding back onto the model ?
The umbrellas spread the light out over a wider area. They help flood the seamless with light. They also make it much more easier to have light scatter and to overlight the entire scene. That's the reason for the black curtains around the room and between me, the model and the background lights.... they absorb or block the spill of the background lights.
In my basic training I never had to deal with an overhead strobe
like you have in your photo. Its labelled as a hair light but I presume
it serves more than that ? What is the purpose of this type of over-head
lighting
That is an 8" x 18" PhotoFlex StripDome (Ithink they call it something else now.) I love how it give a nice soft light and adds that sheen to the model's hair. It also provides a bit more background separation on the darker background shots.
Still a nice shot. You can very easily over-light the background and burn out the fringe areas and especially the edge of the model's hair EVEN with umbrellas. (I've lost count of the number of time's I blew out the background.) If you shoot digital with the capability of shooting tethered (most Canon's can), drag your computer down to the studio and shoot tethered. Its the easiest way to take a few lighting shots and adjust the background lights to a point that the lighting will be perfect.
The hair lights accects...guess what? The hair. A portrait is just missing something if it isnt used. A hair light with a blone headed subject against a high key BG isnt really needed. It is moreso used in low key situations where you dont want to loose the hair in the background.
DukeK wrote:
JohnE,
I was curious what settings your camera was on for the shots on the first page of this thread and the shot of the blond above?
Thanks,
That's the joy of studio work... for the most part, its consistent. Unless I'm doing some unusual lighting, my camera is set at f11@1/250.
As for the nice shot (above) that you referring to... you'll have to ask Barrie (NetImages), its his.
I find that many photographers shoot at f8-11. Yet I also see in many posts talk about being able to lower the power on the lights so as to be able to decrease DOF. Is this blurred background just not that much of a factor very often? Clearly it may not be when shooting against paper but what about other backgrounds?
I shoot portraits normally at f/5.6 or f/8. If you are creating continuous lighting set ups...they rarely allow you to adjust the power level for the amount of lumens output. If you had a strobe light (like alien bees) you could make the adjustments. The only other way to change the light levels is to move the lights farther or closer to the subject and that is rarely practicle.
banterer wrote:
John,
I find that many photographers shoot at f8-11. Yet I also see in many posts talk about being able to lower the power on the lights so as to be able to decrease DOF. Is this blurred background just not that much of a factor very often? Clearly it may not be when shooting against paper but what about other backgrounds?
Thanks,
Jorge
Jorge,
I really like a nice, bright, sharp and clean looking image. That's where I've fould the f11 to give me the best, most consistent results. I typically shoot with the model at least 6 ft from the background. If the background is not OOF as much as I would like, I blur the background in PhotoShop.
That is a small philisophical diff between John and me. I personally find Photoshop DOF to be less pleasing than real bokeh. But then again, I don't shoot in studio often. I like shooting on location more.
Joshua is very correct and makes a very good point. I have the luxury in that I'm simply bluring out the wrinkles and imperfections in my background materials. I'm not trying to blur out people, trees, etc. (which would be much more difficult to try to blur out and make it look natural.)
That set-up there was with 6 Strobes for a calendar shoot
2 strobes were borrowed ...
2 - on both sides to light Background
1 - Over head 6' foot softbox also lit the background
1 - Softbox in front of the 6 footer ( hard to see it .. ) Hairlight
1- softbox ( KEY )
1- 43" Umbrella ( Key )
The pictures below are not with the 6 lights ..... various set-ups....
Here's a studio setup shot that we did for HearMuff (out of NY) using April. I tried to label all of the key elements. (We also did a 2nd shoot where April is lying down and we placed blank CD's on and around the model (concealing modest areas.)
Once I develop the setup shots to some of my shoots I'll post them.
