:::How should i positon my lighting?::: Help please

[christyjo2]

I am a hairstylist...I do photography on the side. Most of the photography i do is children and family. A lot of the childrens photography i do is done on a posing table. some on floor...but mostly on table. A girl that comes to the salon i work in, called me last night wanting to know if i would bring my lights and camera to the salon tomorrow afternoon and take some pics of her for her boyfriend for a late valentines present. she is wanting some seductive type poses with underwear and long black boots on. I use continuous lighting. Although most people dont like it...i love continuous lights. but my question is...what would be the best "main" setup to get some good lighted poses from top to bottom? my studio is set up in my house in a big room. so im not dragging all of my stuff over there. we are probably just using simple black and white backdrops and i have 3 500w continuous lights...and a hairlight that i can use if i need to. (its 250w) and on a miniboom. anyway...2 of the umbrellas on my 500w lights have like a 32" white umbrella on them and 1 of them has a 52" umbrella. I need to know where in proportion to her body i need to set them up as well. The problem i always run into is the top will be well lit and the bottom will be a bit darker...but i only had two lights at that time...so if i have not confused anyone...please help!

[Curtis N]

The problem i always run into is the top will be well lit and the bottom will be a bit darkerYou need to move the light further away so there's less light fall-off from top to bottom.

And that's the problem with continuous lights (ok, one of many). They don't pack much punch unless they're at point-blank range.

[christyjo2]

yea you are right about that...i just like using them mainly because with kids they just seem easier...i have had some kids whose parents told me they have not been able to get their kids pics made because they were deathly afraid of the flash...but they did just fine with the continuous lights.

[Amorous]

yea you are right about that...i just like using them mainly because with kids they just seem easier...i have had some kids whose parents told me they have not been able to get their kids pics made because they were deathly afraid of the flash...but they did just fine with the continuous lights.
Perhaps, those parents use P&S cameras with harsh flash. I use my 580EX bounced, and I never had a problem with two of my own kids and many other kids I've shot. I also use AB800 with soft box and never had a problem either.

[christyjo2]

actually...2 of the kids for sure got scared getting their pics made at walmart as soon as the light flashed. but...i just happen to like the lights...i dont usually take a lot of adult standing shots....but will be tomorrow

[Wilt]

Just take photos and post them, and we will suggest improvements and you can then reshoot. :cool:

[Wilt]

OK, seriously... You can create some very dramatic and seductive looking photos by making use of high lighting contrast...just a single light, which placed very close to the model will fall off in intensity very rapidly, leaving lots to the imagination in the shadows!

[Curtis N]

actually...2 of the kids for sure got scared getting their pics made at walmart as soon as the light flashed.Hey, I'm scared of the Wal*Mart portrait studio too! :lol:

This really has little to do with flash, and a lot to do with how the young-uns are handled. You can make a game out of it, pretend that they can make the flash go off by saying "cheese".

Flash is especially useful for the little tikes who won't sit still. You gotta stop motion somehow, and continuous lighting won't help you make that happen.

Good luck with your Valentines shoot, and post up the results!