metering the fill and main lights

[zach-e2]

i'm definitely bookmarking this thread. thanks so much for the descriptions and such! i think this is huge for beginners who are just now learning about lighting

[WiggyboyChris]

Wow! Lots of great info here. I'm a newbie to studio lighting myself and I just wanted to clarify that if my fill is at f8 and my main (no matter where it's placed) is f11 then I set my camera to f13? What happens if I set it to just what my main reads? Also, how should I meter the backlight? And lastly, if I dont have a softbox is there a substitute method for getting softer light on the hair in particular? Thanks in advance.

-Chris

[BobbyG]

Originally Posted by WiggyboyChris

Wow! Lots of great info here. I'm a newbie to studio lighting myself and I just wanted to clarify that if my fill is at f8 and my main (no matter where it's placed) is f11 then I set my camera to f13? What happens if I set it to just what my main reads? Also, how should I meter the backlight? And lastly, if I dont have a softbox is there a substitute method for getting softer light on the hair in particular? Thanks in advance.

-Chris

You would be about 1/2 stop over exposed...which is not a bad thing...again a matter of preference and the look you are seeking...

There are many modifiers for a hairlight...there are grids, smaller softboxes, snoots etc...the less diffusion you have theharsher the light...I use a 30 degree honeycomb grid on a boom quite a bit....as for metering a lot of that depends on the color of hair...a brunette or black haired model would require a higher reading than a blonde or red head...remember Black ABSORBS 90% of the light that hits it while WHITE relects 90%...so the closer to those two colors the hair, you will need to adjust...and again, its preference of how much highlighting you want...I have shot some hispanic girls with jet black hair that I have had to meter 1 to 1 1/2 stops HIGHER than the main to seperate the hair from the background...on the flip side with blondies...sometimes a 1/2 stop will suffice OR even be too much....

Now, I am also a "feel " photographer...I know most of the tekkie answers but much of what I do is composed of how I feel about the look i seek....cool thing with digital, is you have the ability to "play with light" and see immediate previews AND not waste a bunch of film...or polariods...

Bg

[WiggyboyChris]

Thanks Bobby! I looked at your work and I am very impressed. One more quick question: I seem to be getting, what looks like lense flare on my photographs from my hair light. I have it set up 3.5 feet directly to the left of my subject. It also is more obvious when I shoot on my black backgound. Any ideas on how to fix this? Thanks again!

-Chris

[bfphoto]

Originally Posted by BobbyG

You would be about 1/2 stop over exposed...which is not a bad thing...again a matter of preference and the look you are seeking...

There are many modifiers for a hairlight...there are grids, smaller softboxes, snoots etc...the less diffusion you have theharsher the light...I use a 30 degree honeycomb grid on a boom quite a bit....as for metering a lot of that depends on the color of hair...a brunette or black haired model would require a higher reading than a blonde or red head...remember Black ABSORBS 90% of the light that hits it while WHITE relects 90%...so the closer to those two colors the hair, you will need to adjust...and again, its preference of how much highlighting you want...I have shot some hispanic girls with jet black hair that I have had to meter 1 to 1 1/2 stops HIGHER than the main to seperate the hair from the background...on the flip side with blondies...sometimes a 1/2 stop will suffice OR even be too much....

Now, I am also a "feel " photographer...I know most of the tekkie answers but much of what I do is composed of how I feel about the look i seek....cool thing with digital, is you have the ability to "play with light" and see immediate previews AND not waste a bunch of film...or polariods...

Bg

I agree with Bobby on all this. Of course if the person is bald....no hair light. LOL

BF

[BobbyG]

Originally Posted by WiggyboyChris

Thanks Bobby! I looked at your work and I am very impressed. One more quick question: I seem to be getting, what looks like lense flare on my photographs from my hair light. I have it set up 3.5 feet directly to the left of my subject. It also is more obvious when I shoot on my black backgound. Any ideas on how to fix this? Thanks again!

-Chris

Always...ALWAYS use a lens hood...especially with a digital SLR ( for other reasons than flare as well). you'd be surprised at how much incidental light a lens hood will block...

It could be as simple as that or watch the direction of the hairlight so that the light reflecting off of the hair is not bouncing through the lens. I tend to keep my hairlight on a boom and almost perpendicular to the model but just barely behind. I angle the hairlight down and across the subjects hair...so if the center of her forehead is 12:00 and her chin 6:00...if from the right side of the model, my light would be above the head shooting from about 2:00 to 7:00...if that makes sense...that way the light is not aimed at the lens no matter what angle i choose to shoot..

Bg

[WiggyboyChris]

Originally Posted by BobbyG

Always...ALWAYS use a lens hood...especially with a digital SLR ( for other reasons than flare as well). you'd be surprised at how much incidental light a lens hood will block...

It could be as simple as that or watch the direction of the hairlight so that the light reflecting off of the hair is not bouncing through the lens. I tend to keep my hairlight on a boom and almost perpendicular to the model but just barely behind. I angle the hairlight down and across the subjects hair...so if the center of her forehead is 12:00 and her chin 6:00...if from the right side of the model, my light would be above the head shooting from about 2:00 to 7:00...if that makes sense...that way the light is not aimed at the lens no matter what angle i choose to shoot..

Bg

Ok. Thanks a bunch. I will certainly try that configuration and I'm sure it will help. It seems that I am also missing some additional pieces of equipment, namely a snoot and a grid or 2. So I have some investing to do. Thanks to everyone for the input, I'll let you know how it turns out.

[chocchip]

If your lens hood is a bit too short, a gobo or barn doors may help too.