Learning the studio ropes, one strobe at a time...

I had my very first practice session with my new lights just a couple of hours ago. I set up the lights as follows: center fill at 45° above camera, key at 45° to the right of camera, background light just behind model, about 5' from background, and hair light just right of model mounted on the lightstand (I have no boom yet). I used a white and black foamcore board (a real background is on my 'to buy' list). My goal was to develop a good strategy in setting the power of each light.

I started with the fill:

Subscribed. To me, it looks like a good start... I cant wait to see how this thread turns out.

Well done. One light at a time is definitely the way to do it...and I'm impressed you were able to go slow enough right after you received your first lights to take it slowly to do it correctly. (I wasn't nearly patient with my first lights)

Nice sequence. Depending on the effect that you want, you could always add reflector to the left of camera.

I maye be wrong but something seems to have changed in the final image. Key + Fill should give quite underexposed compared to the final shot you have.

2nd thing I notice is shooting up the nose.

Other than that nice start.

Cathpah wrote in post #12705290
Well done. One light at a time is definitely the way to do it...and I'm impressed you were able to go slow enough right after you received your first lights to take it slowly to do it correctly. (I wasn't nearly patient with my first lights)

Thanks. I've always wanted to do this exercise as I knew it would help me understand many of the variables involved. I will be doing another shoot tonight and make more extensive notes.

bobbyz wrote in post #12705527
I maye be wrong but something seems to have changed in the final image. Key + Fill should give quite underexposed compared to the final shot you have.

2nd thing I notice is shooting up the nose.

Other than that nice start.

Thanks bobbyz. I shot up the nose because the mannequin was on a table of fixed height and my camera was on tripod set to maximum height without the center column extended, and the ballhead rotated into portrait orientation. I wanted to keep the camera position consistent throughout the shots, but perhaps I should extend the center column next time.

And you're quite right about the exposure. Once I put all four together, the final was underexposed. So I increased the power of all lights equally until I had the final image that I posted. I now see that the key+fill lights should've been increased until the face was exposed properly, so I will need to determine that combination of power first, instead of increasing power at the end.

A few questions that I have after doing this:

1. I know that the fill should increase the brightness of the subject to the point that my camera's sensor can capture the detail, but does this mean that I should raise it to the point that no part of the hair should be captured as black?

2. You can clearly see light falling onto the face in the "background only" shot. To control this spill, would I be better off putting barndoors on the reflector, using a grid, or some other solution?

3. The hairlight doesn't seem to be in the proper place. Would it be more effective if I had a boom to put the light out and above the head, pointed straight down?

I like the way you have done this gives good ideas.
For question 2 you could move the subject further away from the background or use flags, did you meter the back of the head to check it was under the final f/stop?
For the hairlight it is upto you on positioning, it is usually set a stop or two above the Key light, so I have read.

Here's the result of another trial, this time with accessories:

oh wow i should do what youre doing. just got my second strobe.

keep thread updated!!

Get a flashmeter and fill vs key depends on what ratio you going for. All up to you.

Nice keep going the catch lights are there too. bobbyz is correct and is a good source of info to copy.
I too have a meter and they help alot.

seems like the next version of one of most useful threads on POTN

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=251549

In the OP original series of shots, one can see one of the 'sins' in hair light placement...the hair light is falling upon the face of the subject.

Nice job of taking your time in learning control of each light.

scroller52 wrote in post #12713299
seems like the next version of one of most useful threads on POTN

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=251549

OH OH OH OHEMGEE thanks for the link