A Portable Studio-Using Multiple Speedlights

In a scenario where you had a 3rd and 4th light set up (ie hair and background light), similiarly to the main and fill ratio guides of 1:3 through to 1:4 ration are their any rules or general guides to power settings for these.

I realise from my readings its all really experimentation in terms of location and that really, the background and hairlight should not overpower the main light or be setup to cause excessive reflection / bounce. Ive read and seen illustration of ideal locations for typical effects.. Some info on 3rd and 4th light setup would make this clearer for me, if its not too much to ask....

Let me throw out some thoughts.

Assume that the main light and fill light are numbers 1 and 2. Assume that the background light is 3. Assume that a hair light is 4.

1 and 2 are pretty much frontal. Maybe a little to this side or that side, but they will be on stands or tripods roughly the same height (or a little more) than the subject.

3 is weird. Normally, I hide the background light low behind the subject so that it shines onto the background. So, it doesn't have to be on much of a stand, so it is easy to place. Sometimes I hide the background light completely behind the background and let the light shine through the fabric. Again, it can be low.

4 is tougher, and that is why some people choose to skip it. Normally, I like to get a hair light up really high. Either directly overhead the subject, or off to the side, but it is always higher than subject height. As a result, it takes a tall light stand or tall tripod or some other rig to get it up there. So, some skip it.

---Bob Gross---

If you want to white out a white background, the background light should be 1and 1/2 - 2 stops brighter then the taking aperture. The reverse is true for making a black background dark black-no background light, move the background farther back from the subject or move the strobe closer to the subject.