Basic portrait OCF advice

[jimmy83]

Iam getting some photos of a friends family on Thursday, as a favour. There will be 3 kids age 1.5/3 & 7 and then a few adults I believe.

Normally all of my work has been more candid style, which is what I love. So Iam aiming if possible to go for that look again.

Iam jsut going to be using his kitchen for the photos against a white wall. Ive got a couple of flashes/stands and a brolly. Which I was hoping to use. The only thing I havent got which would have been handy is a reflector

Can anyone recommend how to position the flash setup?

 

[bryan elliott]

It's quiet hard to give you an answer as the kitchen will have a window and without knowing the location it's hard to give advice, a good starting point is to have your key light 45 degrees or so to the subject, but you don't want to be competing with the natural light, you may be able to use the natural light and not bother with flash. Alot will depend

 

[jimmy83]

It's quiet hard to give you an answer as the kitchen will have a window and without knowing the location it's hard to give advice, a good starting point is to have your key light 45 degrees or so to the subject, but you don't want to be competing with the natural light, you may be able to use the natural light and not bother with flash. Alot will depend

Its at night time iam afraid, 18:00, so no natural light I was hoping to do it in the daytime, but the client is only free in the evenings

 

[bryan elliott]

Well that makes things easier, have your key light at around 45 degrees to subject and then have your fill light 1-2 stops below your key light(choice is yours depending on how much shadow you want) or have no fill light and simply feather the key light.

 

[jimmy83]

Well that makes things easier, have your key light at around 45 degrees to subject and then have your fill light 1-2 stops below your key light(choice is yours depending on how much shadow you want) or have no fill light and simply feather the key light.

Thanks Bryan, how do you mean feather the key light? Use my brolly?

 

[bryan elliott]

Feathering the light is when you start to turn the light away from the subject so that it's not directly hitting them, it's the stage inbetween directly lighting them and having no light on them. Hth

 

[jimmy83]

Feathering the light is when you start to turn the light away from the subject so that it's not directly hitting them, it's the stage inbetween directly lighting them and having no light on them. Hth

Thanks Bryan, I've got a 24-105 f4 L and 17-50 f2.8 can you suggest a good setting aswell if possible?

 

[bryan elliott]

You want to have a focal length of 50mm or greater (full frame), the longer the better, if your doing groups then I'd set my key light at f8 so everyone is nice and sharp

 

[jimmy83]

You want to have a focal length of 50mm or greater (full frame), the longer the better, if your doing groups then I'd set my key light at f8 so everyone is nice and sharp

Ok well only have a 40d which is a crop. Not quite sure how to set the key light at f8 think the 430 only goes to f2 or 3 I normally use ETTL

 

[Phil V]

Ok well only have a 40d which is a crop. Not quite sure how to set the key light at f8 think the 430 only goes to f2 or 3 I normally use ETTL

Just set the camera on manual at F8 the flashgun will give the correct output using ettl.

 

[jimmy83]

Just set the camera on manual at F8 the flashgun will give the correct output using ettl.

Cheers Phil, and with shutter speed around 1/200sec?

 

[Phil V]

Yes, depending on what the ambient is like and what you want to do with it.

 

[bryan elliott]

Ok well only have a 40d which is a crop. Not quite sure how to set the key light at f8 think the 430 only goes to f2 or 3 I normally use ETTL

In your case, anything over 35mm the same principle applies the longer the better.

Depending on distance I'm sure your can get a lot more power from the speedlight, ettl is ok but may give you inconsistent exposures, manual
Is best provided you know what your doing