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saturday was my first shoot with a white seamless backdrop. Set up was umbrella overcamera, softbox to camera right, and sometimes SB600 backlight/hairlight. Reflector camera left, opposite softbox.

I'm pleaseed with the results for a first time (NO PP on these so far).

Looking ahead, I'd like to learn more about the effect of different key:fill ratios... ANY TIPS?

Or Clamshell (i'm sure Google will tell me what that is???)?

regards,
Oz

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

White balance seems to be off the spot from these shots to me.

white balance as noted.

for me the second one would be my pick. she seems more at ease and comfy. the rest don't do much for me, though #5 would come in a close second.

Did you take any close up shots of just her face shoulders?

I'd pick no. 4. Yes, white balance seems to be somewhat off, hopefully you can fix it in post processing.

Alex

I dont think the shots are as much whiebalance being a problem but maybe a slight underexposure of the model, all of the whites in the images seem a nice white to me. Shot number 3 shows this affect the worst whereas the last shot seems about the best.

Never the less looks like youve done an excelent job and had a great shoot.

Cheers
Adam

One thing you may want to try is a light hitting the white backdrop to overexpose it... This will isolate your subject
So many lights, so little time

The positioning of the hands in the first two seems too artificial, some level of irony I guess when you're shooting against an artificial backdrop and artificial lighting but nevertheless hands are such an awkward thing to incorporate into a portrait.

How about this, my first try with some PP, of #2...

Am I on track?

MHD wrote:One thing you may want to try is a light hitting the white backdrop to overexpose it... This will isolate your subject
So many lights, so little time

THanks, any tips on the way to evenly diffuse the light?

I tried this with my third light (an SB600), and got a hot section.

Perhaps off an umbrella?

you got rid of the tatoo?

the white background still looks pink and orange.

Good series of photos Bruce. It's hard to go wrong with a subject as good looking as that though.

The WB looks a little on the warmish side on the PP'd version.

Bruce - likewise I think the 2nd works best - but the colours seem a little too pink.....
Hope you don't mind, but I had a quick play - if you don't like it, let me know and I'll remove the photo immediately (Really wanted to see the shot more high key)

thanks heaps, I love the feedback. I read the D70 WB error tute in here, so tried the shoot at Cloudy, rather than flash, without retesting the tute on my D70s....

any tips on getting the background lit, with an SB600? I have mount clips to the background stands, or a small backlight stand, but dont know what to do for the diffuser...

Oz_Beachside wrote:

MHD wrote:One thing you may want to try is a light hitting the white backdrop to overexpose it... This will isolate your subject
So many lights, so little time

THanks, any tips on the way to evenly diffuse the light?

I tried this with my third light (an SB600), and got a hot section.

Perhaps off an umbrella?

Umbrella or softbox or even a home made softbox/diffuser might work...

I had more subject to board distance than you (was stock not people) and my object was a lot smaller

How thick is the background? If semi-transparent perhaps you can light it from behind?

its a paper seamless roll, got it from Teds, made in USA. I guess its somehting like 300gsm.

The daylight passes through, so yes, perhaps just pop the SB600 from behind, with its built in flip down diffuser, or stoffen box?

can anyone recommend tips/sites/books for lighting backdrops?

ALso wondering what power output would suit, if I use 2x500ws bowens.

Or perhaps I get one 750ws for key, and use one of my 500's for backdrop, and shoot through backdrop???

Or get a 250ws for the backdrop?

thoughts?