Photo session setup

I was ask by reader how my lighting setup was done.  I thought it would be good to show some pictures. Now, I can't claim anything of mine in terms on how the lights are position. I learn a lot from the Strobist and from Izzy Video.  I learn the beginning of light position with Izzy and is a very good resource for video.  I learn more about using flash, combining different lights, and umbrellas from the Strobist.  The Strobist site has a lot of info, so just take you time.  Ok... let's look at the setup.

First, I setup my flash on my stand.  I don't yet own a diffuser so I use the bottom of an alcohol container(not my idea).  I have it almost pointing straight up. I have found that this angle works good.  Also, I have learn to raise or lower the light stand depending on the height of the ceiling.  The flash will be my key light.

Now I need setup my back drop.  I use mobile clothes hangers without the wheels (my idea).  I then drape both of them with the back drop I want to use.  I have this one plus a light gray and a green screen.

Here is my back light.  I have found that I like it above the person.  Also, the bench is pulled away from the backdrop.  I think you can see in a photo below.

The picture here show all three lights.  My fill light is a homemade soft box.  I took a normal nice size box. Pick up some diffuser paper and attached it to a cut out cardboard.  I fill the inside with foil.  I bought some track lights where I cut two wholes in the top.  The flash does put out a lot of light so I am always compensating with moving the fill light.

The fill light.
Another shot of the setup.
Since I am using different color lights and I don't have a color filter for my flash, I use a gray card to setup the pre-balance of my camera.  This works mostly well but I find that if I do any change in the lighting and forget to re-set the white balance, I will have to do it in the darkroom.

Here the first picture my wife took.  Notice that the lights are to close to me.  That is going to have to change.

If you look at one of the pictures above you will notice the light on only one clip. Having three clips raise it up pretty good.
Oh, this is much better.  I realize this picture and the one with my son, I needed to move the fill light closer.  I try to take a couple of test shots before hand to make sure my aperture, f stop, and lighting looks good.
He was a great trooper doing this.  It was just past his bed time and as you can see, he was tired.

Notice on my shirt that you can still see the flash color.  I actually like the way it turns out.

Well, there it is.  I hope it helps.  I know what I have done is no where near perfect and find that I am making it better each session.  Feel free to leave feedback on what you like, what you might have done different, or other ideas.

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Practice Shots

I took some practice photos of my very beautiful wife a few days ago.  I am trying out different poses I have written down.  I used a bounce flash (old Vivitar flash) with a white card rubber band to it.  I move the card up so that there was a 1" - 1 1/2" lip.   I also have a DIY soft box for my fill light.I have a gray card that I used to take a pre-measured white balance.  I used a Nikon D40x with a 18mm - 55mm lens.  Here are my favorites from the session.

This photo I added just a touch of blue.

The fill light is directly beside her off to the right.  I should have angle it more and brought it in closer.  Though, I did not notice the shadow until it was on my monitor.

Such a great shot.  I found in Aperture, I can remove that shadow behind her.  But with the b&w photo it adds to it (I think anyway).

Several of pictures I was trying out a vignette.  Notice that it took out the shadow behind my wife.  I thought that was pretty clever.

I believe I used my 50mm lens for this next shot.
I want to pick up the LightSphere-II Diffuser Cloud. Hopefully I can get it in a couple of weeks. In the mean time, I am going to cut out the end of an Alcohol plastic bottle and with the help of a rubber band, I have a DIY diffuser.  I compared using the bounce flash without it and with it.  The light seems more even and there are less shadows.  

Several people wanted me to add this photo.  Yes my wife is very beautiful and I am lucky to have her.  I thank God for allowing me to be her husband. :)

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