Help on side lighting

[ianssln]

Hello, and good day. TIA for all your informative words. Please excuse my repost of one of POTN's members photos as I have been unable to reach him for advice.

My question here is how to side-light a model like this. I know he uses medium gridded strips just out of camera view a few feet behind and to the right and left of the model. Assuming a working aperture of F11 do I want to sidelight at F13 to F16 or F9.5 to F8? I know it depends on the look I'm trying to obtain, but In this photo what do you think. The background will get as hot as 1 stop over.

This is the first time I am going to be using the strps/grids, and I would like to have the studio set pre-shoot. I don't have an appropriate stand in. I guess I could use myself, but I thought you guys/gals might have some good advice.

Thank you,
Ian

http://paulbuceta.com/images/photography/julie_marsland/raw/imagepages/image16.html

[ianssln]

Would anyone like to give me an educated, or uneducated for that matter, guess??

[chtgrubbs]

In order to keep highlights from burning out, I would set the sidelights for less than the main light. Light coming from an oblique angle reflects more, and if the model is oiled up, you will get brighter highlights as well.

[ianssln]

Great, thanks. So you would suggest angeling the boxes slightly towards the model? Aiming at roughly the arm and shoulder?

Ian