2 soft boxes and one flash

[lukechad]

I've started doing a few paid shoots at home with the above lighting setup, to be honest I know next to nothing about effective lighting techniques, I'm setting the lights up to ensure an even coverage of the subject occurs.

Hoping for a few written suggestions on techniques you find useful with such a limited setup.

Off camera flash by the way is a canon 430ex II

Thanks

 

[HoppyUK]

Question is too broad.

101 answers, but very few will suggest even all-over lighting. Use light to create highlight and shadow, to show shape and texture - to control, emphasise or conceal.

Unless you are very careful and know exactly what you're doing, there should only be one main key-light on the subject. Use other lights, when you're confident, to light other areas separately, like the background, or hair, or some other aspect independently.

For starters you won't go far wrong with the camera at eye height, a softbox 1m from the subject, just above the camera and to left or right, with a reflector to fill in the shadow side to taste. That will give you a soft, fool-proof result that isn't too critical of subject positioning. Build from there. Google lighting guides.

Get some practise in before you do paid work.

PS What camera are you using?

 

[lukechad]

Ok thanks, the subjects I've shot so far are mainly toddlers who are impossible to keep still so using a reflector in this situation would possibly be more trouble than its worth without an assistant.

Camera is a 550d????