Advice on 1 speedlite and umbrella

Hey all need some tips, advice and maybe a guide/book or two on using a speedlite/umbrella setup. I'm using a reflective umbrella. I'm looking on info on a typical setup on how far to set it back from the person/model. What power to set the flash to. Any reading you can point me too would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Ralph

Light softness is directly related to the apparent size of the light source. Bigger is softer, closer is softer. So you want the umbrella as close to the subject as you can get if you are looking for soft light. We can't advise you on power settings as that depends greatly on the distance from the light to the subject. Strobist.com and a youtube search for single light studio should yield lots of good results.

As close as possible for soft light, until the shaft is just outside the frame.

I often start at 1/8 power or 1/4 power for portraits

ISO 100 or 200, 1/160s or sync speed and F 2.8 - 4.0 is a good start for me.

OK Thanks. What about the height of the umbrella? I guess higher would cast more shadows under the nose ans lips. If I want less shadows would I need the center at face level? I will hit strobist here when I can.
Thanks again.

Nightfire wrote in post #17214228
OK Thanks. What about the height of the umbrella? I guess higher would cast more shadows under the nose ans lips. If I want less shadows would I need the center at face level? I will hit strobist here when I can.
Thanks again.

You want the light at least level with the face, but beyond that you are getting into the realm of artistic expression. There are so many ways to light the human face it would depend on what look you are going for.

Nonnit wrote in post #17214213
As close as possible for soft light, until the shaft is just outside the frame.

I often start at 1/8 power or 1/4 power for portraits

ISO 100 or 200, 1/160s or sync speed and F 2.8 - 4.0 is a good start for me.

Great advice.

I usually go with about 1/4 power - which will vary depending on your Speedlight, as some are more powerful than others - 1/160, f/5.6, ISO200. Adjust your ISO as needed for appropriate exposure. These settings will kill most indoor ambient, so all you're getting is flash, and any flash that spills and bounces back off the walls and stuff.

If you want to include some ambient, adjust your shutter speed. If you have to go below about 1/60 to get enough ambient, then you may need to increase the ISO and/or aperture, and adjust the flash power accordingly.

Nightfire wrote in post #17214228
OK Thanks. What about the height of the umbrella? I guess higher would cast more shadows under the nose ans lips. If I want less shadows would I need the center at face level? I will hit strobist here when I can.
Thanks again.

Gonzogolf's advice is spot-on - varies depending on how you want the portrait to look.

Check out the various types of portrait lighting - butterfly, loop, rembrandt, broad light, short light, split light. Different lighting styles work better or worse for different people and different faces. There's no one-size-fits-everyone solution.

An easy formula is 45 degrees above and 45 degrees to the side, but this might be too far off axis if you don't have fill from a reflector or second light.

I'm starting to like a good ol' butterfly light more and more: Main light is placed above the camera, but not horizontally far off from camera axis; subject's nose is pointed approximately to the bottom center of the umbrella.

Nightfire wrote in post #17214228
OK Thanks. What about the height of the umbrella? I guess higher would cast more shadows under the nose ans lips. If I want less shadows would I need the center at face level? I will hit strobist here when I can.
Thanks again.

The center of the modifier about eye level or higher for me. (part of large modifer can be lower then the face and provide some fill that way)

Catchlights in the upper part of the eyes, more shadow on one side of the face and some shadow under the chin and nose - but always good light into the eye sockets!

The umbrella a bit to the front and a bit to the side and a bit higher. (45 degree lighting or so)

https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=T6TkLfBzJNU

It depends on the subject as well. Some people's eyes are set deeper than others'; if your subject's eyes are thus, you need to lower the brolly so as to avoid the eyes being darkened. Just be careful the light is not level with the face, or you'll get a nose shadow running towards the side: this is usually undesirable.

Thanks everyone. got some reading and watching to do I appreciate the info you all provided.

I have a follow yup question that I can't find an answer to or maybe just don't understand. I would like to hit a local class but they always have them on my work days So from what I can see, when using a speedlite and an reflective umbrella you will always have a shadow on the side of the models face? I guess thats where a reflector will come into play. If im inside and have it set up, what is the best way to meter for the model. Would I use spot metering on the person or object do get my basic numbers then turn on flash and adjust? I cant find a step by step to use. Any info would be helpful.

Thanks in advance again.
Ralph

Your camera can't meter a strobe - for that you need a incident light meter. If you are inside (and not doing environmental portraits), you generally get all of your light from the strobe. So start with something like ISO200, f8, 1/125th and set your strobe/flash to 1/4 power. Take a picture, chimp, then adjust the flash until it looks right. If you get to 1/1 and it still looks too dark, then drop the aperture or increase the ISO.

Nightfire wrote in post #17224899
I have a follow yup question that I can't find an answer to or maybe just don't understand. I would like to hit a local class but they always have them on my work days So from what I can see, when using a speedlite and an reflective umbrella you will always have a shadow on the side of the models face? I guess thats where a reflector will come into play. If im inside and have it set up, what is the best way to meter for the model. Would I use spot metering on the person or object do get my basic numbers then turn on flash and adjust? I cant find a step by step to use. Any info would be helpful.

Thanks in advance again.
Ralph

Lights always cause shadows, its physics, you cant change that. What you can do is put the flash in places where the shadows dont show or are not objectionable. There are only so many things you can do with a single speedlite, because of the shadow. For beauty work try keeping the flash pretty close to the camera axis. That way the shadows are cast behind the subject. For quick lessons search youtube for single strobe and you'll find tutorials. Most of the studio work with models are done with multiple strobes to control shadow depth using fill light, so dont expect to compare a single speedlite with multiple studio strobes.

Shadows aren't strictly a bad thing. The contrast between shadowed areas and highlighted areas is what gives a portrait depth and interest.

Some portraits need less depth and interest than others, of course. If you're doing simple business headshots of a lawyer in a tie against a gray-blue backdrop, you probably don't want deep shadows and a dramatic, edgy look.

As noted above, there will always be shadows, but sometimes you can't see them.
If the light is to the side of the subject, the opposite side of the face will be in shadow.
If the light is up high, there will be shadows under the nose, chin, and brows.
If the light is very near the lens axis, the shadows will be behind the subject where the lens doesn't see them.

Practice, experiment, read, shoot, practice, study, practice.

Have a read through this, it's very informative:

http://strobist.blogsp​ot.nl/2006/03/lighting​-101.html

Nightfire wrote in post #17224899
I have a follow yup question that I can't find an answer to or maybe just don't understand. I would like to hit a local class but they always have them on my work days So from what I can see, when using a speedlite and an reflective umbrella you will always have a shadow on the side of the models face? I guess thats where a reflector will come into play. If im inside and have it set up, what is the best way to meter for the model. Would I use spot metering on the person or object do get my basic numbers then turn on flash and adjust? I cant find a step by step to use. Any info would be helpful.

Thanks in advance again.
Ralph

Without lightmeter you just take a picture and look at the back of the camera and adjust from there.

With umbrellas and shooting inside in small room (or close to a wall) the light will bounce around the room and might be all the fill you need (or too much!)

If you need more fill put a reflector (or large white something) on the opposite side where the light from the umbrellas is hitting it and reflect some back on the face.

Plenty of info here: https://www.youtube.co​m …=UUD0UStsvhecPx​vNONLz3clA

and here:https://www.youtube.co​m …=UUD0UStsvhecPx​vNONLz3clA