Flash Outline

Hi all,

I had a quick question on how to achieve this very sharp and tight shadow outline?

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I have tried with bare bulb off camera flash in the studio but it does not seem tight and sharp enough.

I have positioned the flash almost in the centre front of where the model is standing (I have found this hard to also position myself in the centre)

I am assuming the subject needs to be quite close to the backdrop or wall..

Also when I have tried I don't think I have got the flash low enough (light stand wouldn't go low enough) to make the shadow go all the way to the top of the model's head... Is this correct?

Any tips would be appreciated !

The look in the firts picture would be achieved by placing the flash right from your camera and a tad below your lens. - I'd grab a Metz hammerhead or something speedlight on a bracket.

But why reproduce a sloppy shooter's results if you have a studio?

Take the flash off the lighting stand and put it in the hotshoe of the camera, or right next to the lens.

Also, a studio modifier is too big to get really hard shadows like that. You need a tiny light, like the popup flash on a DSLR. Or a Fresnel spotlight.

Could also be achieved in post by selecting the background with the 'magic wand' and changing the tolerance until just a halo around the subject is selected. Notice in the 2nd YMC example that there's sidelighting on the face that doesn't throw a corresponding shadow on the BG. Smells of fakery!

Don't know about the Instagram examples since I don't want their website's cookies, thanks.