I think I understand....

[jontucker]

Hi all,

Over the last few weeks I have been swatting up on lighting techniques. I've found the strobist blog and also this site very helpful and now that I have bought some equipment I thought I would try and put a lot of what I have learnt into one photo.

So here it is, my first attempt at any sort of clever lighting (other than just 1 off camera flash). I've tried to include hard light, soft light, catch light, a gel and a black background. Not much of a subject I'm afraid but the photo is straight from the camera with no PP at all and all settings were manual (including the flashes).

Would appreciate any feedback you guys can give!

 

[adsayer]

So here it is, my first attempt at any sort of clever lighting (other than just 1 off camera flash). I've tried to include hard light, soft light, catch light, a gel and a black background.

that's a hell of a leap going from just one off camera flash

I find the best results and also the best learning results are to start with one flash, placing it in different positions, using different light modifiers etc, and becoming familiar with the particular characteristics of each. Then move on to two flashes, particularly focusing on balancing them with gels, correction gels like CTO's CTB's. And so on. To be honest for most applications I've never used more than 3 flashes on a subject and a fourth one being used to light up the back to a particular colour... Two is a powerful combo though.

But most importantly, concentrate on the quality of the lighting rather than how fancy it is it, it'll take your pictures much much further

I'm not quite sure the positioning of your flashes, but it looks as though you've done a sort of 'sandwich', i.e.

Soft Flash - You - Gelled Flash - at a angle of 30degs to the camera or so?

It's my favourite position for flashes infact.

ads

 

[Garry Edwards]

that's a hell of a leap going from just one off camera flash

I find the best results and also the best learning results are to start with one flash, placing it in different positions, using different light modifiers etc, and becoming familiar with the particular characteristics of each. Then move on to two flashes, particularly focusing on balancing them with gels, correction gels like CTO's CTB's. And so on. To be honest for most applications I've never used more than 3 flashes on a subject and a fourth one being used to light up the back to a particular colour... Two is a powerful combo though.

But most importantly, concentrate on the quality of the lighting rather than how fancy it is it, it'll take your pictures much much further

I'm not quite sure the positioning of your flashes, but it looks as though you've done a sort of 'sandwich', i.e.

Soft Flash - You - Gelled Flash - at a angle of 30degs to the camera or so?

It's my favourite position for flashes infact.

ads

I agree completely, except thta before moving on to a second light I suggest exhausting all the possibilities with a reflector first.
Then next year...

 

[jontucker]

Haha thanks chaps. I guess what I was attempting to do was demonstrate (to myself more than anything) that I had understood the concepts that I have been reading about the last few weeks. Which I actually think I achieved as I had conjured this image in my head and then tried to obtain it.

I'm sure you're right about the best way to learn, well, gain experience and that is exactly what I intend to do....

and then next week... haha!

 

[adsayer]

Actually, one of the things I struggle with (although I rarely use creative gels) is getting a high intensity colour... too much and it saturates to a clipped area, too little and you can be barely see the colour at all :bang: So I'm impressed how much red you managed to capture.

good luck with it all, looking forward to seeing more

 

[HoppyUK]

Good lighting control from the point of view of experimentation. Though you missed a backlight (pointing fowards) to pick out the hairline from the backgrounnd.

But generally with lighting, I think less is more