Umbrella Setup

Hey forum.

I have a BIG event shoot this weekend (on the 4th), and am in need of some simple lighting advice!
I rented a really nice lighting setup from Samy's Camera, a few days ago (to give me time to get use to it all, and experiment)... Anyway, the kit came with 2 lights, 2 umbrellas, 2 stands, etc.
The umbrellas are those ones that are shoot-through, but also have a black "cover" to use as a bounce umbrella... Anyway, my question is this:

How should I setup the umbrellas? So far from my testing, it looks like 1 shoot through and 1 bounce is giving my the most favorable results... Would I just be better off\safer to use both as shoot-through? Or both bounce?

Anyway, sorry if I'm lacking the proper "slang" for this stuff... I'm fairly new to lighting (learning a lot, with this rental setup)...

What exactly are you shooting? And how big will the subject/people will be?

With shoot thru umbrellas, their light fall off is greater so it won't light a larger distance than reflective because light is spilled/bounced. Then again, within a certain distance, it'll also provide lots of soft light. Depending on your subjects, you can also place it closer to the subject and create softer light.

Reflective would do fine with a larger area and would be more power efficient. The downside is, depending on skin, reflective surfaces...etc. It would create more specular highlights because it's more concentrated.

If you think the set up is doing well for you, then use it! I'd use the reflective as key light and a shoot thru as fill.

Sorry, totally made a mental-note to say what I'm shooting, because I didn't want to look\sound like an idiot >.>

Anyway... I'll be shooting father + daughter pairs\couples, formal attire\portraits.

Tumeg wrote in post #9117212
Sorry, totally made a mental-note to say what I'm shooting, because I didn't want to look\sound like an idiot >.>

Anyway... I'll be shooting father + daughter pairs\couples, formal attire\portraits.

I see. I shot a formal event recently and from my experience, it'll be pretty easy. I used shoot through umbrellas exclusively but you'll do fine with either.
I even used just one strobe & umbrella in one area to light groups up to 7 people in the lobby and it did fine! Don't sweat it.

The only way I'd see it becoming a little difficult is nailing the exposure under pressure or coming late and setting up as people walk in. My Sekonic L308s light meter saved me a bunch for those situations!