Heeellllp meeee

<p>Hi, I have always been under the impresion that the fill light in a 2: 1 portrait lighting should be one stop less than the main light. For example, the main lite is f11, then the fill should be f16. But what I am reading is just the reversed. This book I am reading says if the main light is f11 the fill should be f8. Isnt f8 one stop more than f11? Will some one please explain to me how that works? Thanks. Gus.</p>

<p>OK, Gus. Take a deep breath.</p>

<p>If you have a key kight that reads f/11, what does the fill light need to be? Less powerful than the key. If you use a less powerful light from the same distance as the key light, what reading does it give for proper exposure for just the fill light alone? It gives a reading that goes toward the f/8 setting, not f/16, right? So if you had two adjustable lights of the same model and need to have one light at f/11, then you want to meter the fill light for a setting with less power, which will give a reading toward f/8. A meter reading of a second light at f/16 would be a more powerful light, and not a fill.</p>

<p>Does that help?</p>

<p>When your meter tells you that your light is at f/8, and then a change in the power reads at f/11, you've <em>increased</em> the amount of light. Why? Because that means you need to stop your lens down from f/8 to f/11 in order to maintain the same exposure. As you know, closing down your lens aperture from f/8 to f/11 allows <em>less</em> light into camera. That's needed because the change in the lighting requires it ... because it's<em> brighter</em>. <br /><br />Obviously you want your fill light to meter as less light than your key (otherwise, your fill would <em>be</em> your key!). And when you have less light, you have to open up your lens, and that means a <em>lower</em> f-stop number, representing the bigger aperture.</p>

<p>You need twice as much light to shoot at f/11 as you would need to shoot at f/8. It's a lot easier to understand with a foot candle meter. Let's say f/11 = 1000fc-- f/8 would = 500fc. So if you're metering a light and your camera says F/11 and then you meter another light and your camera says F/8, the second light is half as bright as the first light. Hope this helps.<br>

IW</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Now I get it. I see what I was doing wrong. I always thought of the aperture as "holes". For example, f8 being a larger "hole" would be more brighter than a f11 "hole". You people saved my but again. I got to do some portraits today. Thanks again. Gus.</p>

<p>An alternative is to move the fill light back in the ratio of x1.4 compared to the key light-to-subject distance if both lights are the same power. Or the key light forward, or a mixture so the 1:1.4 ratio is maintained.</p>

<p>Obey the laws of nature (There Shall be Only One Source) and keep the fill invisible. That means soft fill, on the camera axis, at least two stops under the strength of the key-light. In colour, keep shadows colder with a light blue gel. Take separate meter readings. If the key gives you f16, arrange the fill to give you f8 or less. Mood is created by the way shadows behave - softness, intensity, colour. </p>