Help with Lighting

I'm having trouble lighting headshots properly. I keep getting a god awful shadow directly behind them no matter how I switch the lights around. I have them stand about 4 feet from the background. I have two lights on stands with umbrella bounce, the same height as the subject, one light on the front left, one on the front right, slightly angled toward the subject. Obviously I am clueless. I have tried looking up online, but no luck. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

you really should've posted this in the Small Flash and Studio Lighting section.

I'm no expert, but 2 questions:

1.) Are you lighting the background as well? (should help with the shadow assuming your lighting is good for the subject...)
2.) How harsh are the lights? Maybe too strong without a softbox?

That's all I can think of...my $0.02...

trendyblue wrote in post #5691606
I'm having trouble lighting headshots properly. I keep getting a god awful shadow directly behind them no matter how I switch the lights around. I have them stand about 4 feet from the background. I have two lights on stands with umbrella bounce, the same height as the subject, one light on the front left, one on the front right, slightly angled toward the subject. Obviously I am clueless. I have tried looking up online, but no luck. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I would suggest a bit more space between subject and bg, and set your lights higher than subject and pointing at subject in an angle, not at the same height. That will definitely cast an unwanted shadow behind the subject. Apply that and the other suggestions mentioned, and you should get better results.

Thanks so much! I appreciate any and all tips since I am new at indoor shooting.