The studio thing is killing me!!!

[graeme_mitchell]

I'll be damned if I can't figure out some studio lighting techniqes.

I mean I can get good shots...by accident. I have two alien bees

800w/s strobes with soft boxes and umbrellas, and I use 35 and

medium.

 

Now, a few things I've been trying to do, half succesfully. 1)the

plain evenly lit model, like you'd see on the cover of any major

fashion mag. 2) the darker, moody, and heavily shadowed figure,

often done in B&W and with nudes. And everything in between.

 

I think, I think I have a pretty good grasp on the basics. What I

think I'm missing is the little things. Maybe not though. I realize

I'm asking a horrendous question here, but tell me what you can.

I'll take anything.

[fotografz]

Check the Cover shots you refer to. Look at the eyes closely. The

spectral highlight will tell you what shape light reflector was used

and where it was placed. A lot of those fashion shots are done

with a big Ring Light like Profoto makes. If one was used, the

highlight will be a dough-nut shape.

[peter nelson]

It's like the old story about the violinist Jascha Heifetz, who was walking down the street in New York City one day when he was approached by a tourist who asked how to get to Carnegie Hall. His answer: "Practice, practice, practice!"<P>

 

I've also got a lot to learn about studio lighting but what's been working for me is practice, practice, practice. Although I shoot paid models, I will often just grab my wife and stick her in front of some light to try out this or that. I use a digital camera for that - it's a great learning tool.

[dlegaspi]

this maybe lame but...do you use a flash meter?

[jkantor]

Start with one light and practice until you are comfortable with what you can get using different modifiers and distances. Add a reflector and practice some more. Then add a second light and so on. (You only need one light for #2.)

 

For an evenly lit model (#1) - the most important thing is the quality of the model and the makeup.

 

The shot below is with one light (no reflector) and was due to "serendipity" - but I have learned a lot from that!

[fotografz]

While I am a firm believer in simplicity, there are some pieces of

equipment that are very helpful in achieving pre-visualized

results. For a series of company portraits I did, I studied each

persons' unique facial features, and chose different focal lengths

and heights/angles to best express that POV. Not everyone

looked their best using a so called portrait lens. This, of course,

required specific lighting to enhance that POV. I've been using an

Elinchrom Octabox which provides a broad wrap around key light

like that from a pitcure window. I then place a bounce card for fill,

varying the distance from the subject to control the light ratio. For

specific lighting enhancments, a strobe with a Honey Comb grid

is invaluable. The grids are available in different degrees and

can provide very exact placement of hair highlights or whatever.

Sometimes a few pieces of dedicated equipment can help.

[igord]

1. two alien bees 800w/s strobes

2. the plain evenly lit model, like you'd see on the cover of any major fashion mag.

 

Sorry to say that but this two things exlude.

You need 3 lamps and 2 huge reflectors in front of the model to make such photo. Then you have to light the background with two other strobes and you can get extra light reflecting next strobe from the ceiling. If you want to add some effect light you need another strobe. Let's count... You need seven strobes.

 

I use to have two strobes. Then I deceided to buy some more. I bought another two from a pro photographer from France. He came to me and started laughing at me! What are you going to do with 2 strobes and tiny umbrellas in dark studio? - he asked me.

 

To encourage you - to make portraiture with 'shadows' you can use your two strobes and 2 reflectors.

 

To avoid getting more lamps experiment with window lighting and strobes mixed together.

 

In my opinion you can pick up a lot from Steven Meisel's job for Italian Vogue especially winter issues, when he works in studio.

Meisel sometimes uses Milky Way Studios in New York, visit the internet site of this studio!

 

Have a nice time in your studio!

[timberwolf1]

Do a search on google.com for "butterfly lighting". This is close to that "cover look". You need a light disc, Flexfill is best,or a board reflector nearly in the lap of the subject. You do not need 7 lights for this. 7 lights is for an A+ picture. So create a B+ or A- picture using butterfly lighting.

[smithjulie93]

Google 'Lighting Ratios' and how to use a light metre. It makes a huge difference in the

studio than just going for a flat look. I think you'll find if you look closely, professional

photographers are using different ratio's for each light to give more tones on the skin and

bring shadows out but give the model that 3d look, not flat look. 1:3 lighting ratio etc. If you

research lighting ratio's, (presuming you havn't) you will have better quality studio work than

average. think also about hair lights, background lights. You can get a 1:2 ratio from one

light and a reflector in the right place. You'd have to study it more as I'm just learning myself

at present but "lighting ratio's" are the words you need to be googling.

[smithjulie93]

When doing butterfly lighting pay attention to the shadows created under the model's

nose. The shadow for perfect butterfly is mid way between the nose and the upper lip. You

can get that by moving the model away or towards the butterfly lighting set-up. Butterfly

lighting is for seductive shots and lights from above creating shadows under the chin,

nose etc. Think of it like the effect you get under a normal tungsten light in a living room.

You may need to bounce some light back up into the shadow areas to soften the shadows

some and that's where a reflector comes in.

I would not use equal lighting on a model unless I wanted a high key washed out look

with no tonal difference on the face. Lighting ratio's can be used on the background for

the same effect.