Do I look good in this?

TeeJay - it's a popular question from me of late but, what's your lighting setup? Interested in how you lit the white background.

I like it. I also agree about not looking down the lens giving more emotion and feel to the picture. Nice composure. As was said before, I bet her parents were well pleased.

Familia wrote in post #2196541
great shot!

Thank you.

whiskaz wrote in post #2196575
TeeJay - it's a popular question from me of late but, what's your lighting setup? Interested in how you lit the white background.

Hmmm... If I were to be honest..... I didn't!
At least, not specifically. Because I was shooting three children, most of the time doing as they wished, my main aim was to simply get the lighting reasonably even. (you haven't time to worry about lighting ratios when the kids won't sit still!)

I placed a flash-head, either side of the subject area (about 45deg), about my shoulder height, both pointing up into brollys (one 42", the other 36") - so the brolly would have been about 7 ft off the floor.

Because the heads were reasonbly low, I pointed them probably slightly more towards the back of the backdrop area, and allowed the spill to do its thing - the backdrop is a pop-up type, 7 feet square with about an 8ft train. If I get chance tomorrow I'll post a pic taken from a little further back.

I have to admit, I'm used to using a paper back-drop with two stands and a pole holding the role. This was about the third time I'd used this pop-up, but pop-down it didn't!!! It must have taken me about 20mins to get it collapsed again! (don't laugh) It's a good job I can smile about it now. If the pics hadn't turned out so well I'd have looked a right idiot! (in fact, instead of it being a pop-up - I very nearly turned it into a folding backdrop - just to get it back in my car!)

52k wrote in post #2196592
I like it. I also agree about not looking down the lens giving more emotion and feel to the picture. Nice composure. As was said before, I bet her parents were well pleased.

Thank you for your comments. As you say "Her parents were well pleased!"
- the only problem being, they can't make their minds up about which they want printed. Some shots are being given as presents to their Grandparents for Christmas.

Sweet!!!! She is adorable! Awesome shot

Huh, so basically the light spill did the job of exposing the bg "properly"?

I know what you mean about ratios and kids... you kind of need it setup so they can roam about since that's what they do best

That said, I think I might be trying too hard to get the clean/white bg look

Thanks for explaining you setup!

whiskaz wrote in post #2197001
Huh, so basically the light spill did the job of exposing the bg "properly"?

I shoot in RAW, at least that way I get to adjust the white balance (although as I've said, adjusting to give "pure white" just didn't feel right, so I've left it a bit off - and I think it works

whiskaz wrote in post #2197001
That said, I think I might be trying too hard to get the clean/white bg look

Maybe, I just added a little "levels" tweaking and USM. Before this shoot I've worried for some time about the need for another two lights for backdrop illumination - I'm not so sure now! (but I still think I'll get them!)

whiskaz wrote in post #2197001
Thanks for explaining you setup!

No probs.