View Single Post
  #5  
Old October 9th 03, 03:48 PM
J C
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default got rid of shadows on portraits, but now subject too dark - help?

On 8 Oct 2003 09:01:49 -0700, (Lynn)
wrote:

Hi, I have been taking portraits of subjects against a white
background. In an attempt to get rid of shadows, I have started
lighting the background with 2 tungsten 500 watt lights and then using
fill flash on the subject. This has worked beautifully, except that
occasionally my subject ends up a little dark and not contrast-y
enough. I've been fixing this in photoshop, but wondered if I used
lesser lights on the background (say 250 watt?) I might get the
subject a bit brighter all the time? I am shooting digital and
converting to black and white, so I don't mind about the tungsten
cast. Any help would really be appreciated. Thanks! Lynn


The following assumes that your digicam actually has the controls for
changing f/stop and shutter speed (thus over-riding its automatic
exposure).

Suggestion, set the lighting of the subject. I would suggest NOT using
a fill flash but instead bouncing lights off umbrellas (see your
digicam so that the flash does not fire). Whether you use one or two
light/umbrella combos and what angle and height they are set from the
subject, just depends on what you're after.

Then, without the background lit, meter the subject and calculate the
exposure and f/stop you'll use.

Then set the lights on the background.

By the way, since you wonder about using "lesser lights on the
background" perhaps it is worthwhile pointing out that exactly how
the background comes out will depend on 1. the distance of the lights
from the background, 2. the distance of the background from the
camera, and 3. whether you also bounce the lights off an umbrella.


-- JC