Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/02/28

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Kyle's PAW 8 (studio advice)
From: Charles Harris <charles@charlesharris.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 09:35:10 +0000

> ...which brings me begging for advice from those who know about studio
> lighting ... here's my setup:
> 
> physical space: ~8x8x7
> light sources: 2 monolight strobes w/ 2x3 softboxes w/ two power settings
> (low and high) one background light with no power settings (sometimes i put
> a plastic bag over it).
> 
> i don't think i have enough physical space to do key / fill / background --
> and i'm pretty sure i couldn't put a hairlight anywhere, but i could be
> completely wrong. if anybody can point me to a decent book on studio
> photography, OR let me know that i'm crazy for trying with this setup ...
> that works too.
> 
> so i'm thinking maybe -- on camera flash? or a ring light? what are my best
> options?
> 
> 10-q
> 
> kc

My advice regarding your situation is to Simplify!! Look at Irving Penn's
studio portraits. For the most part, his was a one light (source) setup.
Usually North Light or a simulation of it.

Small studios do present a challenge. I assume it has no windows. Set up one
entire wall as a source. Do whatever you can to create one large, soft,
evenly lit surface (sheets of foam core, bedsheets, whatever). Try to use
continuous burning lights so it's easier to see the quality of light. Here's
the key...use Nothing but this for weeks! Move your subject to change the
direction of light. Use black to block portions of the source from your
subject (subtractive lighting). Work with it till you're sick of it. Use no
fill cards. Allow the direction of light to determine how much fill there
is. Use the distance from the source to the subject to determine fall-off.
There's an inverse square law that maps out fall-off, I won't go into it
here. Bottom line, the closer the subject is to the source, the faster the
fall-off is. Forget hairlights, rimlights, backlights, background lights,
fill lights, etc...concentrate on ONE source and use it until you know it
like nothing else. Then gradually introduce other sources into the equation.
Simplify!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not saying this is the long term answer to the problem. I'm only saying
that this is an effective way to learn to "see the light" in the studio. Let
me know your thoughts on this......

charles
http://www.charlesharris.com

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