How to light full length portrait EVENLY?

I want to photograph my wife as her pregnancy progresses through the coming weeks. However, I'm looking to light her evenly (flat even) from head to toe while maintaining a white background. Unfortunately, none of the online tutorials I found deals with lighting the subject evenly, only from one side.

I tried using two flashes aimed through shoot through brollies placed on either side of my wife pointing toward the centre but this created a hotspot in the middle, making her head and feet dark. (great way to while away hours in front of photoshop). I tried aiming from top to bottom but the upper torso was hot and the lower portions dark. Desperation also meant I tried lighting the left side high and right side low with the unsurprising wierd light/shadows.

Do I need to buy two more flashguns to get a more even spread of light? By say placing the flashguns in the middle and top of the light stands? What else can I try? I do not have a softbox.

Hi purpletiger, i might be the last person in this world that you want to ask as it's never been my style to light a subject evenly (yet) but i've read this recently so i figure it doesnt hurt to ask, have you thought of buying a big softbox?

See "What size is best" in the link.

Apologies if i'm not being helpful

well you did say flat, have you tried lighting from front one high one low?

purpletiger wrote in post #13712114
Do I need to buy two more flashguns to get a more even spread of light? By say placing the flashguns in the middle and top of the light stands? What else can I try? I do not have a softbox.

What you will need is light sources that are either FAR away from subject or using HUGE evenly lit area (such as 3-ft by 6-ft softboxes or some huge reflector panels that you can light relatively evenly).

You probably will find that Speedlites won't do the trick very well simply because of the amount of light available from them.

You're going to need to light the background separately if you truly want it to look white.

Set two Speedlights shooting through diffusers on either side of you and push them close together so that there is only enough space to poke the lens through. This will give you even light from far away.

Then set the third speedlight on the ground behind the subject to light the background.

oh damn....my reading comprehension is really down! you did say you wanted to keep the background white as well.....i agree with the guys this would be hard to do with just 2 speedlites.

if youre not too fussy about PS work, maybe you can composite your wife lit by the 2 lites then the background...

purpletiger wrote in post #13712114
What else can I try? I do not have a softbox.

Have you got a white bedsheet(s)?

Try something like this. I did this for a different purpose but it may be a starting point for you. The speedlight(s) light up the diffuser (bedsheet) and directly lights the background. Place a reflector on the right side of the subject, or a duplicate of the left side, to fill that side. Keep your lights back in order to get enough even spread.

Yes bedsheet! Worth a shot, remember to zoom your flash all the way out too and experiment with the distance of the flash with the bedsheet. Hope that helps.

nich0145 wrote in post #13712183
Hi purpletiger, i might be the last person in this world that you want to ask as it's never been my style to light a subject evenly (yet) but i've read this recently so i figure it doesnt hurt to ask, have you thought of buying a big softbox?

See "What size is best" in the link.

Apologies if i'm not being helpful

Loved the link - cleared up a few things - looks like i need a BIG softbox!

ccp900 wrote in post #13712350
oh damn....my reading comprehension is really down! you did say you wanted to keep the background white as well.....i agree with the guys this would be hard to do with just 2 speedlites.

if youre not too fussy about PS work, maybe you can composite your wife lit by the 2 lites then the background...

I'm trying to get it right in camera as much as possible - I love PS but for creative fun stuff

ccp900 wrote in post #13712285
well you did say flat, have you tried lighting from front one high one low?

That would mean placing the lights smack in the middle. Im using an 85mm equivalent lens (50mm on cropped body) and standing a ways back so the stands would be in the way.

SkipD wrote in post #13712298
What you will need is light sources that are either FAR away from subject or using HUGE evenly lit area (such as 3-ft by 6-ft softboxes or some huge reflector panels that you can light relatively evenly).

You probably will find that Speedlites won't do the trick very well simply because of the amount of light available from them.

You're going to need to light the background separately if you truly want it to look white.

I think I'm going to have to order at least a couple more flash guns!

JeffreyG wrote in post #13712329
Set two Speedlights shooting through diffusers on either side of you and push them close together so that there is only enough space to poke the lens through. This will give you even light from far away.

Then set the third speedlight on the ground behind the subject to light the background.

Tried that. I'm using umbrellas so there is that hotspot in the middle issue and uneven lighting at the top and bottom of the frame (darker). However, the 3rd light on the ground is a good idea! Definitely going to order more lights then. Best thing is the wife can't say no this time

rudy_216 wrote in post #13712609
Have you got a white bedsheet(s)?

Try something like this. I did this for a different purpose but it may be a starting point for you. The speedlight(s) light up the diffuser (bedsheet) and directly lights the background. Place a reflector on the right side of the subject, or a duplicate of the left side, to fill that side. Keep your lights back in order to get enough even spread.

Yes I have a white background on a proper b/g stand. From the diagram I can't help thinking the subject might be brighter on the 'flash' side than the 'fill' side? I will give it a go anyway - very nice diagram btw.

I'm honestly surprised you are having trouble with a 'hotspot'.

I took this quick self-portrait yesterday for something, and my setup was pretty close to what I described. The light is stronger on one side, but I did that on purpose. The light on the left side of the frame was set at 1/4 the power of the light on the right.

I used a third light for the background.

Getting this evenly lit would be easy. Can you post a sample?

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

JeffreyG wrote in post #13713839
I'm honestly surprised you are having trouble with a 'hotspot'.

I took this quick self-portrait yesterday for something, and my setup was pretty close to what I described. The light is stronger on one side, but I did that on purpose. The light on the left side of the frame was set at 1/4 the power of the light on the right.

I used a third light for the background.

Getting this evenly lit would be easy. Can you post a sample?

What did you use for this pic?

Higgs Boson wrote in post #13714469
What did you use for this pic?

Three Speedlights:

One in the back shooting naked to light up the distant background.

The two lighting the subject are shooting through umbrellas, each is located in front and off to the side about 6-8 feet from the subject. I had a ratio on the front two lights, if they were even then I think the light on the subject would be almost totally even.

I find that shoot through umbrellas set back a way are good for when you want really even lighting because they spill a lot. You get light all over the place.

Move them really close and the light from the umbrella becomes huge compared to the spill and they take on a lot more direction.

Jeffrey, looking good.

OP do you have a strip box?

Edited - just check and you say no softbox. How about two brollies both on one side one higher up and one lower. No need for other side. If you need more fill there use a big oval reflector or something.

The OP want to do a head to toe shot. Even coverage is a little more difficult than half body.

JeffreyG wrote in post #13714513
Three Speedlights:

One in the back shooting naked to light up the distant background.

The two lighting the subject are shooting through umbrellas, each is located in front and off to the side about 6-8 feet from the subject. I had a ratio on the front two lights, if they were even then I think the light on the subject would be almost totally even.

I find that shoot through umbrellas set back a way are good for when you want really even lighting because they spill a lot. You get light all over the place.

Move them really close and the light from the umbrella becomes huge compared to the spill and they take on a lot more direction.

Thanks. Are the umbrellas side by side or stacked?