Hey Osp,

I am learning how to use studio lighting, and I am seeing the flash in my subject's eyes. How do I prevent this from happening, or is it something that must be handled in processing?

Thanks,
Mike

Why wouldn't you want catch-lights in their eyes?

ummm... are you talking about catch-lights? cause your supposed to get those. sorry if i am coming off smarty-pants, but i'm not sure i understand what your asking?

So this is a good thing???? I thought it looked to artificial.

Post one.

Perhaps you could post one! I hate what on camera flash does to eyes. I love seeing big, beautiful catchlights in my subjects eyes!!;)
Candy

Heres a shot.....

its tooooo smallllllll.....

load it into photobucket and then copy and paste the link it gives to view the photo in the post.

Photo bucket???????????

www.photobucket.com

you can host your photos there, then you can post larger ones here - about 700 on the long side.

Okay here is a link for the pic. Thanks

<a href="http://s292.photobucket.com/albums/mm30/Tucker29621/?action=view&current=Hannah.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm30/Tucker29621/Hannah.jpg" border="0" alt="Strobe Lighting"></a>

QUOTE

I took a look, and I'm not a studio lighting expert by any means, but I agree that it does look a little artificial. Could be the big square soft box. My suggestion would be to try with the box a bit further away and off to the side a little. If you have another light (round) try to use it to fill the opposite side and it should give you 2 "lights" in the eyes, which should look nicer. (plus they would be from two different sides and slightly different sizes etc)

Just my thoughts, but as I said I'm not expert, and would love to hear what others have to say.

Just to start, until you get the basics down, I suggest very boring lighting. You need 2 lights. One is the main, the other is the fill. You will get catch lights from both. Some people like both, I personally don't, but I usually don't take the time to remove the second one. Your fill is easy. It goes above and behind the camera position. The main should go as close to your subject as you can be with out A) it being in the image or b) you can't turn it down enough to get your desired exposure. The catch light should be at 10:30, meaning looking at the eye like a clock face the reflection from the light should be about at 10:30. AM or PM doesn't matter. To get that it must be higher than your subject. A rule of thumb is to have your 1/3 to 1/2 your softbox above the subjects shoulder.

The main should be at f8 and the fill at f5.6. You will want a light meter for this. You can do it without one but it's harder to get right until you're used to it. That is called a 3:1 ratio, meaning you have 3 times as much light on the side toward the main than on the shadow side. Why? f8 is 2xf5.6 right? So the side to the main has f8(2xf5.6) + f5.6 for a total of 3xf5.6. The shadow side has only 1xf5.6. Hence a 3:1 ratio.

This is way more than you asked, but it is a very basic understanding of studio lighting. Then you start adding hair light, which in my opinion sets good studio work apart from not so good. Then an accent light. Don Blair called this a "garlic" light, meaning like garlic you don't need a lot of it. Too much ruins the cooking. Then a background light depending on your background. It can get complicated, but I'd start with the main/fill combo and add others only when you are totally comfortable with that.

Hey guys thanks for the comments....

Mark I really appreciate the detailed response.... When using a meter, I just meter each light separately????? Please continue your response w/ the hair and background lights.

Thanks,
Mike

When I meter in the studio and want to shoot at 5.6 or so, I meter using a Sekonic L558 with the dome retracted pointed directly at the main from subject position. The fill is off at this point, or I'm shielding the meter from any of it's light. I want the main to read 5.6. Then I do the same for the fill, wanting it to be 4. You can then bring the dome out and meter toward the camera to get your total exposure. It will be 5.6 and a half or close to that. You have to start with each separately to establish the ratio you want. 3:1 is a basic but sometimes you might want 1:1 for fashion, or even 4-5:1 for a dramatic image.

I have a lighting diagram psd. I'll try to find that.

Here it is...

thanks for the info Mark. your first post was awesome!!!!

A start would be to bring the light MUCH closer. My catchlights usually fill at least a quarter of their eye.

(My lighting isn't "normal" by any means, so take that for what it's worth!)

Are you using any light modifiers (softbox, umbrella, etc...)

No it's not. And that's what makes it special.

Thanks again Mark....

Tami, I am using a soft box on the main and a shoot through umbrella on the hair/ fill.

Thanks,
Mike

Mike, a shoot through is going to make it hard to control the light. It will have to be feathered so far that you'll think it's not doing any good at all. Do this, turn all the lights in the room out except your fill. You can then see the feathering. I'd do it with the main softbox too, because they'll act completely different.

I usually want big catchlights, so I keep my light pretty close to the subject. I almost always use only one light in my sessions, but my soft box is pretty big (4x6), so the light wraps pretty nicely. My previous box wasn't that big and did a good job too, but I usually used a reflector with that one.

that wasnt me, it was an imposter. and i'm on his trail......