Getting started with studio lighting...

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johnwartjr

Senior Member
I worked with studio lights a bit when I shot film for the family business back in the 90s. Admittedly, though, I never had to design my own solution from scratch - I had a book with patterns in it - an X where the subject went, each light, the tripod, etc, and measurements connecting all the points - so it could be repeated time and time again.

Granted, there were times where an adjustment needed to be made due to the height of someone, or the size of a group.

Today, while most of my photography is for personal enjoyment, I do a little bit of photo business on the side. A handful of weddings every year, a handful of events, etc.

One of my better clients asked me if I could come in and do some headshots for them. To do this, I'm going to have to set up a small studio in one of their locations for a part day.

So, I'm looking through my equipment, trying to decide what to use, and to figure out if I need anything else to add to my arsenal.

I need a decent background. I am going to head to my local camera store, and pick up a neutral color Savage 5x7 pop up muslin background and stand. Having used plenty of muslins in the past, I remember how they liked to wrinkle. The pop up ones apparently stretch 'flat' with the frame.

I plan to shoot using my D700 and my 85 1.4G

Lighting wise, I have a fair number of things in my kit.

I have

2 - SB-900 Flashes
1- Yongnuo YN-565-EX Flash
1 - Pocketwizard Mini TT1
2 - Pocketwizard Flex TT5
1 - Pocketwizard AC3 Zone controller
4 - Alienbee AB800 strobes

I'm a little 'light' on modifiers. I have 2 shoot through umbrellas, 2 silver umbrellas, and an octabox. And a decent reflector with stand.

And of course, various light stands, tripods, etc

Should I shoot headshots with my subject standing, or sitting?

If sitting, chair or stool?

Any suggestions? I am going to get the background early next week, and will set something up in my basement to get a feel for it. Just thought maybe someone had been there, and could offer some good advice.

And, if people are willing, perhaps I could post a few of my pics for critique, once I get there.
 
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Krs_2007

Senior Member
Cant really comment on the equipment, other than it sounds like you have it covered. I plan to explore studio equipment this year, so I dont have enough experience on the poses, but will follow this to learn. I say post them up.
 
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Ruidoso Bill

Senior Member
You're lighting arsenal is impressive, not much to be added there. Not sure what you have for backdrops, they can really make or break in the portrait arena. I watch youtube videos on portraits, posing, google and read about group posing. The study never ends for me. Our section here at Nikonites also has some very good info click here.

I have different height stools I use for different heights and family arrangement posing. Also those inexpesive excercise step stools (different heights) are great for height issues. I shoot both standing and seated portraits, depends what the client wants and if not expressed I shoot a variety.
 
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Steve B

Senior Member
There are a lot of books out there on portrait photography. A good one that shows a lot of lighting set ups and the results is "Pro Digital Portrait Lighting the Definitive Reference to Lighting Setups" by Peter Hince, published by Pixiq. Pro Digital Portrait Lighting: The Definitive Reference to Lighting Setups: Peter Hince: 9781600597848: Amazon.com: Books It shows results for the different setups with different skin colors and light and dark backgrounds. The one other thing that I use for portrait shooting that you don't list is a light meter. I meter incident light from the subject position. It's more accurate and it takes a lot of the guess work out of setting your lights up especially if you use your Alien Bees.
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
johnwartjr said:
Should I shoot headshots with my subject standing, or sitting
Click to expand...

Doesn't really matter, unless if your ceiling is not tall enough to allow the proper height for the lights and umbrellas, then that rules out standing. Eight foot ceilings are tough for standing portraits.
 
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johnwartjr

Senior Member
So, I've been assembling things - going to do some 'real' headshots for a client this week.

One of my photography buddies dropped in for a bit today, and we tried a few things.

After doing some testing, here's our favorite of the various shots taken.. as far as composition and exposure go. He wasn't dressed as my clients will be - formal wear, etc - just in a polo shirt.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

The setup used here was pretty simple.

A stool placed about 3 feet in front of the background

Background light placed behind the stool, 40 degree grid (I have 10, 20, 30 and 40 - but 40 seemed to work best to my eyes)

Camera about 3 feet in front of the stool, slightly to the right. Full frame sensor, 85 1.4 Nikkor lens

Camera and lens set to ISO 200, 5.6 1/60th second exposure

Strobe to the right of the camera, above with a 36 inch octabox pointed downward toward the subject

Strobe to the left of the camera, set at approx head height, 8x36 inch strip box

Reflector below the octabox to fill in the shadows under the chin

Information: D700, 85 1.4G

700_9583.jpg
 
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Mike D90

Senior Member
I am very inexperienced with portraits but it looks outstanding to me.

As to posing sitting or standing for head shots I would also think that some people may tend to slouch when seated? That might be the only issue I could see.
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
It is rather good in several respects, but IMO, it misses on one major point. Of course, everything is just opinion, nothing is "wrong" if we intended it, but there is a general consensus that all individual portraits need at minimum a 2:1 lighting ratio. This one is very nearly flat lighting, 1:1 ratio, no gradient tonal shading. Which may be you wanted, but even high key wants 2:1. I am hoping you will want to hear it. :)

For 2:1 lighting, simply meter the main light to be one stop stronger at the subject than the fill light (2:1). Or maybe 1.5 stops (3:1). Not more than 2 stops (4:1) unless it is B&W. This ratio causes some mild gradient tonal shading across the face, shading to show shape and curves and add interest. Or rather, the reduced fill does not completely fill and hide the main light shadows. It is soft lights, so it is very subtle, not dark or harsh. Just mild tonal gradients, intentionally created.

Beginners tend to never see this subtlety (they look, but they do not see) until they finally learn to consciously look for it (and finally realize it is there for them to see it). But it does make a big difference, and they will still pick the best one regardless if they have learned why yet or not. But after you learn to see it, look around, and you see ratio everywhere, because that is what it is about. You will find yourself contemplating the movie lighting ratios, instead of worrying who the murderer was. :)

Check Google for lighting ratio - Google Search Lots of examples.

Then search for http://www.google.com/search?q=broad+short+lighting to see how you arrange that ratio. This subject wants short, face turned slightly into the main light.

As is, this one is flat, both lights about equal, just one either side of camera, no gradient shading at all, and so is not a Main/Fill relationship. Main is one light high and wide (to make shadows), and the Fill is direct frontal, very near lens axis (often behind and just above camera), to fill the same shadows that the lens sees (instead of making a second set of shadows).
 
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mr2_serious

Senior Member
I agree with Wayne with the 2:1 ratio for head shots. If it was a female portrait maybe 3:1

I can only appreciate this after taking portraiture last semester :)

You can also just have one alienbee on one side and have an assistance hold a reflector on the other side. Less gear to bring with y'all, although you should bring at least two strobes just in case of a malfunction

-William :: Tapatalk HTC G2
 
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Steve B

Senior Member
How did you decide on your exposure settings? Also with the lens, exposure settings, and distance from the subject you should only get a depth of field of around 1.5 inches. For formal shots you may want more DOF to keep everything nose to ear in focus. As far as the lighting, I agree with Wayne.
 
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johnwartjr

Senior Member
Thanks for the critiques - especially the critical ones.

I am doing some reading on ratios now, will see what I can do about adding some depth to the image.

Sounds like I need to get a mannequin or a bust or something to do some practicing with, as I rarely have someone who can work as a model.

I am using a Sekonic meter at the moment. It's about 20 years old, I'd like to upgrade to one that can trigger my pocket wizards next. Some of the reading I'm doing leads me to believe I'm not metering correctly - so I'll do some more testing.
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
If you have a remote shutter release, you can use yourself as the subject. :) Typically, men can use a bit higher ratio than women and kids. Speaking of color work, reserve any 2.0 ratio for the men, esp the grizzled old men. :)

I just turn on the lights one at a time, and aim the meter directly at the one being metered and set (from the subjects position of course, for main and fill). Meter technically should aim at the camera, so this is not the final value, but it will set the ratio accurately and best. Then turn on both main and fill, and meter aimed at the camera for the exposure value.

With equal lights at subject, both lights on will meter about 1 stop more than one (2x). With a ratio, the sum will be more like 1/3 or 2/3 stop more than one (depending on ratio). So a bit of experience will show you to initially set the main a bit less than your final target exposure.

Hair light or background light does not affect the exposure, so those are just metered to be relative to the main. Background is metered at the background surface, which is its subject.

If your meter can meter in tenth stops, then there is a big advantage of using tenths. For example, maybe the main meters f/7.1. Then you want fill to be -1.5 stops less. How much is that? No one knows. :) But if you learn to use tenth stops, then the answer is immediately obvious in our heads. f/5.6 plus 7/10 stop, less 1.5 stop, is obviously f/4 plus 2/10 stop. No small deal to know this.
 
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johnwartjr

Senior Member
So, I changed things up a bit, and ended up with this

AC.jpg

I switched my setup slightly.

1 AB800 with 40 degree grid as the background light - 3 feet from the background, stool posted in front of the AB800

1 AB800 with 36 inch octabox in front of the camera, camera left - key
1 AB800 bounced out of a 43 inch white umbrella, camera right, behind the camera - fill

I metered the fill so it was a full stop less than the key.

Results were, IMO, better - but I still see some area for improvement. Need more practice!

Hoping to play a bit more, and increase my ratio. This is 2:1, would like to try 3:1 and 4:1. Need a model to work with first :)
 
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Mike D90

Senior Member
johnwartjr said:
So, I changed things up a bit, and ended up with this

View attachment 72832

I switched my setup slightly.

1 AB800 with 40 degree grid as the background light - 3 feet from the background, stool posted in front of the AB800

1 AB800 with 36 inch octabox in front of the camera, camera left - key
1 AB800 bounced out of a 43 inch white umbrella, camera right, behind the camera - fill

I metered the fill so it was a full stop less than the key.

Results were, IMO, better - but I still see some area for improvement. Need more practice!

Hoping to play a bit more, and increase my ratio. This is 2:1, would like to try 3:1 and 4:1. Need a model to work with first :)
Click to expand...

Not bad but I am a little confused. Lights are positioned camera left and camera right. Does that mean camera left and right as viewed from behind the camera as we see it as a photographer?

If so, wouldn't that put the key and fill on the wrong sides according to how he is seated?

Key should be hitting his left side which would cast shadows to his right. Fill should then hit his right side to bring detail out of those shadows cast by the key light.
 
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Mike D90

Senior Member
This is how I imagine the lighting should have been. If I am incorrect please speak up as I am interested in this and am learning as I go as well.

LightingSetup copy.jpg
 
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johnwartjr

Senior Member
My setup was the reverse of that diagram - with the subject's body turned into the key, and their face back towards the center of the lens.

Perhaps I had it backwards?
 
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