hair light for pet portraits

[philseu]

<p>My setup is a single 48 inch softbox at 45 degrees for key and a large reflector on the opposite side. The dog is on the floor. Background is black. Anyone with experience positioning a hair light for photographing dogs? I would like to use a smaller softbox with grid but not sure how to best position it to avoid lens flare and also to keep the stand out of the image. I don't want to use a boom.</p>

<p>thanks</p>

<p>Phil</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>If it's gridded and not visible in the frame, and you're using a lens hood and any modern, decently coated lens without a cheap filter mounted ... flare's not going to be a problem.<br /><br />Position-wise, keep it higher than the dog, opposite the key. Too low, and the light feels unnatural. You'll find yourself wanting to reposition it not just because of different size dogs, but also for different coat types. Woolly dark dogs, for me, need more of a glancing position, while shorter-coated dogs need a higher angle. </p>

[john_a5]

<p>I would suggest that instead of a softbox for the hair light that you use a reflector with a grid--probably a 40 degree one. This will give you the nice highlights off of the dog's hair. (in fact, I would probably be using a similar set up for the main light myself-instead of the softbox, as this will create more texture in the fur. Of course, you may have a different aesthetic you are after. But if you haven't tried it, you might test the difference. Often we avoid hard light because of how on-camera flash looks but when used skillfully it can actually be incredibly gorgeous light.)</p>

<p>Without a boom, you have to place the light to one side or the other--or both. The grid will control the spill so that you don't get flare in the lens and the 40 degree will give you a bit more room for the dog to move. With most grids, you have to get pretty frontal before it will enter the lens and cause any issue. The further to the center side, the less room for the dog to move and the more away from center, the more likely you will get bleed onto the side of the dog's face--which can also be a very nice accent.</p>

<p>(If your camera is in a fixed position and these are still portraits, you can lower your backdrop and place the hair light behind the backdrop aimed at the dog from behind or from either side. I have used this sort of set up before, when I knew I didn't need the extra space above the subjects head.)</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

[philseu]

<p>I appreciate the responses and will try the suggestions. I have read other people write what John wrote about not having to use super soft light (dog's hair vs. human skin) but have not seen examples of this</p>

[john_a5]

<p>Phil, even with people, hard light can be great. It is just that we see so much bad on-camera flash that we think we need to use softlight to overcome that look. A lot of contemporary portraiture is done with hard light, but probably the best examples of how great it can look are the 1930-40's Hollywood Glamour photos of the popular stars back then. All of that was done with very hard, fresnel spots and open light sources.</p>

[model mayhem gallery]

<p>I think shooting with one light and black background is really dificult to achieve good photos.<br>

Also, reflectors are really hard to use and get the angles exactly right. So much of ythe light from the softbox has to hit both the dog and the reflector. Light from a softbox is not very directional and doesn't bounce really well. <br>

I would recommed at least three hard lights (no softbox) just reflectors. Softboxes for hair just make the hair look muddled. <br>

<a href="http://patrickwheaton.com/p841581861/h1f18d1d0#h1f18d1d0">http://patrickwheaton.com/p841581861/h1f18d1d0#h1f18d1d0</a><br>

<a href="http://patrickwheaton.com/p657366268/h2f0a839a#h2f0a839a">http://patrickwheaton.com/p657366268/h2f0a839a#h2f0a839a</a><br>

Not that I am shooting dogs per se, but hair in general works better with hard light and lighter colored backgrounds. Or a well lit not dark background will add pop and seperation.</p>

<p> </p>

[philseu]

<p>Wanted to share some images of a recent effort. Hair light with a gridded medium softbox, slightly above and same side a key.<br>

http://www.caninepixel.com/montana_pet_photography/e5f0c4dfc<br>

http://www.caninepixel.com/montana_pet_photography/e5f2c641a</p>

 

[model mayhem gallery]

<p>Looks good. Getting great separation from black backdrop even with dark colored dogs. </p>