Fill light question

"Alan Browne" wrote in message
.. .


Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and
background.
A soft lighting is desired so the key light is in a softbox (or
'brella).

Is it neccesary to use a softbox/umbrella for the fill light?

(Let's say the fill is at least 1 stop down from the key).

Cheers,
Alan

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

Hi Alan,

Personally, I think it looks a little funny to have a harsh light for a fill
when your key light is diffuse...but I imagine you could come up with some
scenario where it'd look good, perhaps if you were doing some high ratio
(dramatic) lighting and may wish to have your fill a bit more localized so
that more of the face fell in shadow. Kodak used to have (still has?) an
excellent little book on portrait lighting that came in an 8x12 paper
envelope. (I've been trying to find mine as I am starting to do portraits
again.)

HTH,
George

In article , Alan Browne
wrote:

Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and
background.
A soft lighting is desired so the key light is in a softbox (or 'brella).

Is it neccesary to use a softbox/umbrella for the fill light?

(Let's say the fill is at least 1 stop down from the key).

Generally speaking, your fill should be a soft, non-directional (as
possible) light source. Nothing wrong with using a big
umbrella/soffbox/starfish.

Alan Browne wrote:
Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and
background. A soft lighting is desired so the key light is in a
softbox (or 'brella).

Is it neccesary to use a softbox/umbrella for the fill light?

(Let's say the fill is at least 1 stop down from the key).

No, it's not "necessary" depending on what effect you want, what sort of
filll light you have and where it is; but to keep everything "soft" you
should also use a big fill.

Small light source relative to subject = two things: sharp(er) shadows
and smaller specular reflections. If your fill was a ring light, you
would/should have no shadow problems but the speculars would still be
there.

If all you have is one big soft light and a small one for fill, you
would be better off using small for main, big for fill. As far as that
goes, you will learn far more about lighting by using all small
lights...soft is virtually idiot proof. Not to mention overdone.


--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and
background.
A soft lighting is desired so the key light is in a softbox (or
'brella).

Is it neccesary to use a softbox/umbrella for the fill light?

(Let's say the fill is at least 1 stop down from the key).

If you have to use a fill, it should be as inconspicuous as possible.
Remember that what a light does is put highlights, if may be one stop under
overall, but there will still be highlights and many of them will be
spectral (blocked up white.)

The question I have for you, is it necessary to use a fill light. The fill
is a kludge fix for the real problem, your key light isn't adequate for the
subject. Problem shadows are a symptom of bad highlights. The tradition
of using a fill light comes from the days when other simple solutions
weren't possible, IE: hot lights and lack of fire retardant fabrics, they
used metal reflectors, fresnel lenses to aim and focus every bit of
available light energy on the subject.

A compromise solution can be to move the second light to a position between
the key light and the camera position, this makes it a secondary key, its
highlights can blend or extend the key light's and give the effect of a
larger wider single light source.

take your flash head and bounce it off a side wall, no boxes or brollies,
see how that light works, you have a light source 8 feet tall at least.

Alan Browne wrote:



Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and
background. A soft lighting is desired so the key light is in a softbox
(or 'brella).

Is it neccesary to use a softbox/umbrella for the fill light?

(Let's say the fill is at least 1 stop down from the key).

Cheers,
Alan



Thank you all for your replies.

Cheers,
Alan

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

zeitgeist wrote:

Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and

background.

A soft lighting is desired so the key light is in a softbox (or

'brella).

Is it neccesary to use a softbox/umbrella for the fill light?

(Let's say the fill is at least 1 stop down from the key).


If you have to use a fill, it should be as inconspicuous as possible.
Remember that what a light does is put highlights, if may be one stop under
overall, but there will still be highlights and many of them will be
spectral (blocked up white.)

The question I have for you, is it necessary to use a fill light. The fill
is a kludge fix for the real problem, your key light isn't adequate for the
subject.

I don't agree with you on this, for me the fill is to lift the shaddows a bit.
I 'can' make the opposing side dark, or use a reflector to be sure, but for
color shots I like the fill light look better and I can back it off to a pretty
high ratio. B&W I can make do with one light or evening light from my window
bouncing off of white vert blinds.

snip


A compromise solution can be to move the second light to a position between
the key light and the camera position, this makes it a secondary key, its
highlights can blend or extend the key light's and give the effect of a
larger wider single light source.

In effect, this will be my solution, a softbox or umbrella pretty much beside
the camera and the key on the opposite side for shaping. I'm looking for
specific shaping so the position of the key is set by the effect.


take your flash head and bounce it off a side wall, no boxes or brollies,
see how that light works, you have a light source 8 feet tall at least.

My "studio" is not appropriate to that approach (empty living room, varied
colored walls, large window area (NW facing), bookcases, med-dark wood ceiling,
etc. I have lots of strobes though, a couple softboxes and a couple umberellas
so building it up works.

Thanks for your reply.

Cheers,
Alan

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

"Alan Browne" wrote in message
...
Alan Browne wrote:



Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and
background. A soft lighting is desired so the key light is in a softbox
(or 'brella).

Is it neccesary to use a softbox/umbrella for the fill light?

(Let's say the fill is at least 1 stop down from the key).

Cheers,
Alan



Thank you all for your replies.

Cheers,
Alan


I look forward to seeing the results Alan. Anything appropriate for
"Symmetry?"

Walt

In article , Alan Browne
wrote:

In effect, this will be my solution, a softbox or umbrella pretty much beside
the camera and the key on the opposite side for shaping. I'm looking for
specific shaping so the position of the key is set by the effect.

I would *NEVER* put the fill and key lights on opposite sides of the
camera.

In effect, this will be my solution, a softbox or umbrella pretty much
beside
the camera and the key on the opposite side for shaping. I'm looking
for
specific shaping so the position of the key is set by the effect.

I would *NEVER* put the fill and key lights on opposite sides of the
camera.

thank you.