Looking for some suggestions from the experts ...

Hi guys,

I'm traveling to San Francisco tomorrow to produce about 60 business portraits. The way I've been doing it so far is with two strobes and a reflector. One strobe goes to the front and slightly to the right of the subject for main light (through umbrella), reflector on the subject left for fill and the second strobe goes behind the subject top left as hair line strobe. Works great BUT I am missing the light behind the subject to separate them from the background just a little. it would make a big difference.

Can you guys think of a way to include a background light somehow with what I already have. Otherwise I'd have to buy another strobe and trigger for this.

Many thanks in advance!

I would try to feather the main light more towards the backgriound or just use a speedlight.

Your second strobe (hair light) should be separating the subject a bit unless you're gridding it to hit the hair only.

I was looking more for a rearrangement of the equipment I already have - maybe use the main light where I usually use it, front/right, then the second strobe as a background light and the reflector as hair light (if I can get enough light to it to reflect at all). Something like that.

I'm am trying to avoid sinking another grand into another strobe with another trigger since this isn't my main gig where I have almost no use for strobes ...

HiepBuiPhotography wrote in post #15548348
Your second strobe (hair light) should be separating the subject a bit unless you're gridding it to hit the hair only.

I was thinking about that. So, instead of pointing it to the subject entirely, I should position it in a way so some of the light spills on the background?

Pick a background that offers some natural separation. Then use your lights as usual.
Should be lots of options in an office.

There is always rental.

I'm bringing my own background which is fashion gray

pixel_junkie wrote in post #15548356
I was thinking about that. So, instead of pointing it to the subject entirely, I should position it in a way so some of the light spills on the background?

Yea, that would work. Maybe have the strobe lighting the background mostly and having it feather to hit the hair a bit.

What would also help is if you posted one of the older photos that you've used before with this setup.

You can use an acrylic mirror tile to reflect light back onto the hair extremely efficiently. I have two which I fasten to stands with Photoflex clamps. You can even gel over the mirror but remember that you get double the strength you would if you gelled a light source. Here's a sample from 20 years ago.

I just looked at the link you posted. Although the picture's a little small, from what I can tell, it looks like a pretty solid portrait to me. I would just do what you did there. I wouldn't change it.

Yep. Nothing wrong with the OP's portrait. Good background separation and lighting. Stick with that. Less lights means less to go wrong.

Thanks guys but I though a little extra light would have helped create this glow around the subject and would have created a better separation which would have made it even better.

Kinda like this chick:

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