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Wanting a bit of critique and advice, particularly for those of us who know their studio lighting (because I sure as hell am a bit clueless about it )

Mrs Losfp bought a new bag yesterday and wanted photos to show her parents in Geelong (those who know her will understand when you see the bag!!!!).. So I thought I would have a go at a multiple light setup. I had recently acquired a second SB-800, so used both of them.




Here is the setup:



Main light is on the left, with a light on the display cabinet over her left shoulder for the hair. I also used a tiny bit of fill from the onboard flash of the D200. I got her to turn her head away slightly from the main light to avoid reflections in her glasses.

Was also hoping to use a bit of natural afternoon light from the right side, but I couldn't get it landing in a non-patchy way. Maybe next time I might try diffusing it with a big bedsheet or something?

Used the Tamron 28-75, 1/20 @ f/5.6. Found it quite hard to compose because the background (odd bits of velveteen left over from making curtains for our home theatre room) wasn't big enough

Thought it was an ok result for a first try. Studio lighting gurus - what else could I have done better? I would like to get some proper strobes/umbrellas etc later on, but thought I would have a quick play with "available ingredients" first.

i think if you kill the fill on the d200 youll get a more interesting sculptural light from that one on the side

I dont think the backlight is doing much try to position it so it at least hits the subjects hair from the top or side

Wendell got it right. Although the pictures are very good....and you managed to avoid reflections on her glasses, dial the fill down by about 1 stop to increase the modelling on her face. This will give the image more form, or 'roundness'. Nice work!

I'm cerainly no expert, in fact, just a beginner in many aspects, but I'll share what I know.

Did you use the SB800s in remote TTL, or manual (SU4)?

I have found it very flexible, to use the remote mode, perhaps set the main light (camera left) to group A, and the hairlight to group B. THen, from your D200, with the onboard set to commander mode, then set A to somehting like 0.0, and B to say +1.7. (that might give you correct exposure from the main, and over on the hair light. perhaps a little less if blonde/light hair).

With B on the hair, A camera left, and perhaps somehting camera right to bounce some fill light, I can get some nice shape and modeling through the light. Camera in manual, to suit ambient, or darker/faster shutter to eliminate unwanted ambient.

Then, to experiment, you can drive the exposure variation in the SB800s from your shooting position, no need to walk over to lights to adjust power (you may want to physically move their position of course).

I prefer to use a reflector (white card, bedsheet, pizza box, whatever) to bounce fill, and leave the onboard flash off (as in comandar mode). To be honest, I have no idea how to control the on board in CLS...

I have found (mind you I've only have a month now with multiple SB800s), you can get some great results in TTL, before you need to go manual, and external meters.

Your main light is also very small, meaning you have no difusion from what I can see. maybe cut open a plastic milk bottle, may soften it just enough. Or, as you are at home, bounce it. Maybe off a white piece of paper?

THanks for posting your setup shot. I know I find it VERY useful to see others setup, to learn how it goes together (although after a while, it gets easier to break down all the pieces of the puzzle, just by studying the various pieces of light).

I like the shot with the birdbag camera right. In fact, thinking out alound, its a perfect reflector itself!!! Maybe bring the main light a little more frontal (say 45 degrees) hold the bag a few inches away from the face, and you can use it to bounce the light perfectly under chin, fill eye sockets, under nose etc. In moving the light around a little more, you would also get that dark shadow from the specticles behind the specs, rather than in front on the lady's nose.

One final thought, just lower your camera position just a little, so the eyes are a little more centred in the glasses (just a little distorition and cut off of her left eye (camera right)).

If this is your first try, very well done. you have lots of things right, with just a few adjustments.

Finally, as far as "real strobes" go, you've got them. Maybe just add some stands and umbrellas, and lots can be acheived with just that (especially if you dont need to shoot into the sun just yet).

Fantastic advice guys, thanks!!!

I'll see if I can apply some of the suggestions next time, maybe try rig up some sort of ghetto softbox or something.