How to light black people?

Okay, not to be crass. How do I light a black or interracial couple with a strobe--specifically a 430EX, using a shoot-thru umbrella? Relatively inexperienced when it comes to photographing black people. Shoot is in 2 hours from now.

Serious question.

Probably should've researched it before you had a shoot in two hours. Expose to the skin tones, like with everyone else.

I would think same as anyone else, but if very dark skin tone, then plus 1/2 to 2/3 stop from a Light Meter reading. Post process should be able to adjust any further.

CanonCameraFan wrote in post #17054188
I would think same as anyone else, but if very dark skin tone, then plus 1/2 to 2/3 stop from a Light Meter reading. Post process should be able to adjust any further.

IDK, I'm not a pro but isn't normally if you are to shoot in the snow, you would over expose by about 2 stops. Shooting dark skin subject I would have thought it goes the other way. That said, if you use a light meter, wouldn't that solves your problem? Another thing is, I think dark skin subject when lit properly, it show the dimention very well. Meaning having at least a few light sources to create both hard and soft light. The soft light would make a fill-in, while hard light create dramatic shadow.

quadwing wrote in post #17054087
Okay, not to be crass. How do I light a black or interracial couple with a strobe--specifically a 430EX, using a shoot-thru umbrella? Relatively inexperienced when it comes to photographing black people. Shoot is in 2 hours from now.

From actual experience at real events, no differently than anyone else.

Examples.

Please don't think I'm being derogatory or discriminatory whatsoever. I've never been able to overcome lighting issues when it came to mixing interracial couples. I only have one light, however, so that may be the root of my problem.

quadwing wrote in post #17054287
I only have one light, however, so that may be the root of my problem.

No, that probably doesn't help...

If you've got two different values you need properly exposed, just make sure you've got enough data in both your highlights and your shadows, and then you should be able to do any tweaking you need to in post. You could spot meter on each person, my guess is if you pick a value that gives you +2/3 to +1 stop on the lighter skinned person, you won't be more than a stop underexposed on the darker skinned person.

Get a light meter. Set your light up using the incident reading. Go to town.

This takes me back to my engagement photoshoot. It was a fairly bright and hot day, my photographer was very nice but she kept saying "Gosh, black people suck up all the light" and she kept repositioning us or having her husband move the reflector.

That was about 5 years ago. Even today on a hot day I'll look at my wife and say "we must be sucking up all the light"

bseitz234 wrote in post #17054323
No, that probably doesn't help...

If you've got two different values you need properly exposed, just make sure you've got enough data in both your highlights and your shadows, and then you should be able to do any tweaking you need to in post. You could spot meter on each person, my guess is if you pick a value that gives you +2/3 to +1 stop on the lighter skinned person, you won't be more than a stop underexposed on the darker skinned person.

I am sorry but that makes no sense. The correct exposure for the light skinned person is the same as for the dark skinned person. If you were to spot meter each and set those as exposures for two individual shots they would both look the same tone. The darker person would be very overexposed and the lighter person a little underexposed.

If you take an incident light reading it gives you the exposure for the amount of light falling on your subject, that does not alter because they have different skin tones. Yes, one will be darker than the other, but that isn't because they are underexposed, it is because they ARE darker.

Take an incident reading, or use a grey card or whatever for a reflected reading, and that is the correct exposure for both subjects.

quadwing wrote in post #17054287
Please don't think I'm being derogatory or discriminatory whatsoever. I've never been able to overcome lighting issues when it came to mixing interracial couples. I only have one light, however, so that may be the root of my problem.

No, the single light isn't the problem. You are missing a light meter. That will give you a precise correct exposure, no matter what the subject is. They are under $100. Make sure you buy one after this so you never have this problem in the future.

nyne7lac wrote in post #17054386
This takes me back to my engagement photoshoot. It was a fairly bright and hot day, my photographer was very nice but she kept saying "Gosh, black people suck up all the light" and she kept repositioning us or having her husband move the reflector.

That was about 5 years ago. Even today on a hot day I'll look at my wife and say "we must be sucking up all the light"

Hahaha. I love that story. I'm going to start saying that from now on too!!!

quadwing wrote in post #17054087
Okay, not to be crass. How do I light a black or interracial couple with a strobe--specifically a 430EX, using a shoot-thru umbrella? Relatively inexperienced when it comes to photographing black people. Shoot is in 2 hours from now.

I am at a loss for words...