michaelmowery

Available light exposed for skin tones and lets the background blow out a bit. This technique has been done back in the film days. The other thing that's going on is the color grading during the processing. There are some desaturated plugins that create this color grade. I don't like the colors myself but many people do.

Your are right the words were there but it was not emphasized and I over looked it. For a newbie controlling just the flash is the easiest. I personally prefer to control all light sources independently as it just makes things much easier.

You are correct in your thinking for solving problems BUT your statement that you can put a ND on the lens and it will make the same difference as putting a ND on a flash is incorrect.

A ND filter over the lens is NOT the same thing from what the OP wants to do. Using a ND over the lens effects both the flash and the ambient. The OP wants to control ONLY the flash output and bring it down to F1.4 - F2 exposure.

Keep us posted.

Cini gels are used in the movie industry and are well capable of handing minimum 350 degrees and as high as 550 degrees. Do yourself a favor and educate yourself and don’t believe everything you read on a forum. Rosco gels are a good place to start reading what they offer.

What exactly are you using as a boom? The Hollywood arms are not booms for strobes by the way. You can’t lock down your strobe on a smooth cylinder of steel at the angle you are trying to do. It will always slip. You need a flat surface on one side at the end. Some 5/8” pins have a flat side which will keep your light from slipping when boomed out at 90degees.

Get whatever you can afford and go from there.

You can use ND gels over your flash tube to lower its output to match your desired Fstop.

Group shots of any size I always use two lights to creat a main and full light. How exactly you do this is up to you. Controlling the shadows created by your main light is very important. Outdoors you can use the available light as your fill light.

Very confusing. At this point do what makes you happy. Going forward if you are going to charge money treat it as a job and be professional.

I think this thread has ran its course. The OP has not responded in 7 months.

What your seeing in the background is light falloff from the strip lights. If you want to light the background you have to either light it with separate lights or just move your subject right on the background and reset your strip lights.

Yes, that is my shot posted and it is 100% available light being a very large picture window behind me with a silver reflector under her chin. So yes it is a variation of clamshell lighting. PS. Your last posted picture of the man is better but don't go crazy by adding more lights as in that kicker light which also lit his nose and neck areas. The kicker light was totally unnecessary and only made it look worse. Learn to master your main light first and create beautiful images before moving one to adding additional lights. Baby steps is my advice.