Please help! Fill light creating shadows.

[jacqueline_moore]

I have been practicing with my Hensel Integra 1000W monolight

kit. It comes with 2-500W flash heads, a softbox, 2 umbrellas,

and a honeycomb. I also have a rectangular 4 ft x 2ft reflector.

 

I have been practicing with using my softbox as my main light, to

the left of my camera, with the umbrella behind my camera and

to the right. My problem is that the fill light with the umbrella is

creating a harsh shadow behind the subject. Will simply turning

down the of that flashhead diminish the shadow? Please help.

 

Should I put the fill light in front of the camera, to the right of the

subject so as not to create any more shadows? I have been

asked to do some Homecoming dance pictures at a middle

school, and I want to minimize any shadows as it will be full-

length pictures. Also, there may be some small groups rather

than couples who want to be pictured together.

 

I should have ironed these things out before I agreed, but it's too

late now so any advice will be greatly appreciated. I do have

several weeks.

 

Thanks to all who take the time to reply---

Jacqueline

[garry edwards]

Jacqueline,

 

Yes, if you reduce the power of the fill light you will reduce the STRENGTH of the shadow - but of course you will also reduce the effect of the fill.

 

However, if you move the light closer - much closer- you will still produce shadows but they will be soft and diffused.

 

Take a look at this weeek's weekly lighting theme, which more or less covers that point. In fact, you may find it helpful to read all of them, they are filed under 'Administration' in the lighting forum

[brooks short]

Jaqueline,

 

Sounds like the problem you are having with shadows is on your background. You probably need a lot more room between your subjects and the background. I'd recommend at least 6 ft. from subject to background. That might require an additional light to light your background.

 

Another consideration is where you place your fill light. For a second light to act as a fill light it should be placed on the lens axis, above the camera. If you move it to the side of your subject oposite the main light then it's not really a fill light but rather a second light, with it's own set of secondary shadows on the subject.

 

As Garry has mentioned, a soft light is a large/close light. If you are getting harsh shadows from your umbrella or soft box then these light modifiers are either too small or too far away from the subject, or both.

 

Full length, softly lit, pictures of people would look best with a large 4'x5' softbox or at least a medium 3'x4' soft box positioned as close as possible to the subject, just out of the frame.

 

Look at this week's lighting theme and the other lighting themes in the Administer section of the Lighting Forum. This has been discussed in detail in many of these themes.

[barry_kenstler]

Jacqueline,

 

When I shoot full-length and small group shots, I use a similar setup to yours, but often with another umbrella, sometimes a silver, as my main light. I generally do not encounter what I would judge to be objectionable shadows, so I'd ask/recommend the following:

 

Is this shadow behind the subjects appearing on the background or the floor? If it is on the background and it appears above the subjects, raise your fill light until the shadow falls out-of-sight behind the subjects.

 

What is the ratio between your main light output and fill? Generally your fill should 1 to 2 stops less bright than your main for these kinds of applications. If the fill is too bright, cross-shadows and shadows in general from the fill will be more noticeable

 

Can moving your subjects away from the wall help? Generally shadows on the ground are less objectionable than on the wall behind.

 

Silver umbrellas can cast sharp noticeable shadows, but satin umbrellas tend to have more gradual shadow edges. What type of umbrella are you using?

 

Those are just some ideas. I hope I'm not insulting you with suggestions that are too basic.

[ellis_vener_photography]

First try moving the subject away from the background.

 

Next, instead of using the second light as a fill source simply use a large white "bounce'

card (AKA, Foamcore) instead, get as close to your subject as you possibly can without

being it blocking the lens or the subject.

 

Finally: practice and experiment, experiment and practice.