new born lighting setup.

[cdmonkey]

We are due to have a little girl in a couple of months so I have started thinking about some lighting setups, here are my first tests.

I looking for feedback on these and suggestions for other setups.

I reaslise that a baby skin will react differently to the doll but I have to practise on something.

all shot at 1/250 iso 100

these are straight out camera not sharpening just a little WB adjustment.

1. Dlite main lite about 2 foot off floor just off camera right. canon 188a flash overhead for fill optical trigger. f.5.6

http://carldavis.smugmug.com/photos/266533189_dLaAM-L.jpg

2. dlite main power 3.0 fill light camera left behind doll. dlite power 2.0 f9.0

http://carldavis.smugmug.com/photos/266533457_cfjgy-L.jpg

3. as above but with 188a flash on medium power straight over head.f9

http://carldavis.smugmug.com/photos/266533607_5R64L-L.jpg

4. dlite camera right power 2.0, dlite camera left behind doll pointing at backdrop power 2.
f7.1

http://carldavis.smugmug.com/photos/266533877_aJVbT-L.jpg

any comments suggests very welcome.

Carl

[bruce_]

I realise that it's probably the clothes that it came in, but try to dress your child/subject in a different colour to the background you are using (or use a different background).

Or if you already did use a white bg (some parts look white, but could just be blown a little), then you need to check your white balance...

[cdmonkey]

thanks bruce, yeah, it was a light pink backdrop, I will use something different next time.

[TeeJay]

I prefer #2 & #3, the background is a little less hot.

Also bear in mind that the brown towels you are using are absorbing some of the light so there is less being reflected back up at the "baby" face - which in this case, I think looks better. If you change the colour of the towels when shooting your baby - then you will need to fiddle a little with your setup (again!)

Are you using these towels - or will you put them "under" a blanket and lie baby on top of that?

TJ

Hey, just realised - our first grandchild is due next week - so maybe I better do some practicing also? :-)

[cdmonkey]

Thanks TJ, I was thinking of shooting some on the towels, but I think they would work better with a dark background. I was thinking about shooting with the baby higher up as they dont roll around and my wife would be stood bery near by, and that way I would have more room to play with a reflector.

Im going to try some more tests later.

I will post update when they are done.