FRUSTERATED! Home Studio Setup, Over Exposure!

HELP ME PLEASE!
I am starting to go crazy. I am new to studio photography and am having trouble with my set up.
Here are the specs on the lights:
A Master/Slave Flash
A Slave Flash
7 ft Light Stands
Two 32" umbrellas (Silver/White)
The Master strobe has a guide number of 55 (Main light) and the slave strobe 42 (Fill light).

I have posted a picture of my set up.

My pictures have a very hard bleak, deer in headlights look to them.
The specs on the picture of my not impressed husband and daughter:
1/125
4.0
ISo100
Auto White balance
Canon Rebel EOS Digital

If anyone can give me pointers it would be appreciated.
Thanks

Are both your master and slave set to put out the most flash from each, How close to the subject are the lights.

If the lights are adjustable setup your camera on manual and set your settign sto f5.6 and 125 as a starting point. Then depending on the output, adjust either the camera settings or the flash setting to compensate. If your flash heads can be adjusted manually then if over exposed turn the flash down reverse if not using full power and they are under exposed. Try starting with the one flash first to get the lighting right for that and then turn the other on and adjust

I have read that it is better to have the fill flash near to camera light just next to you and the main at around 45 degree to subject, higher than then subject as well pointing down.

Have your subjects away from the background about 4-5 feet for shadows to fall off and down to the floor.

Isn't studio shoots just that much frustrating, know how you feel.

Hope that helps as a small guide.

I've only recently started studio portrait work myself, but here goes.

For 1-3 people-
I usually have my Main next to(2-3 ft from) my camera body, with an umbrella. I angle it until I can see it producing a nice catchlight in my subject's eyes. My subject's body is usually facing my Main. My Main is usually set at about F8 and at approx. a 45 degree angle to subject. Angled lighting produces a more natural appearance, it creates details and shadows. Straight, direct lighting creates a very flat unpleasant light.

My fill, also w/ an umbrella, is on the opposite side, about 6-8ft from subject. Sometimes I also use a litedisc reflector below them for a little extra fill.

I usually set my Canon 10D to ISO 100, flash white balance, and full manual.

I meter using a Sekonic L-358 light meter. If I switch lenses, I meter again.
Often I can use the settings 1/60 and F8.

Keep practicing!

Kathy

I don't think that my lights outputs are adjustable. There is no meter or anything with a readout.

I have tried every combination possible with the camera. From slowest shutter speed there is, to the fastest and all diffeerent aperatures. I've put the lights in different places and everything is deer in headlights.

I've had these lights and my camera since October and still not one good result.

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kitt2121,

Tell us about your gear, what type of flashes are you using, can you show us a picture of the backs of them where the controls are etc. What camera dial setting are you using, are you using manual setting.

It is frustrating, but it can be done with a little patience. We all learn and many from one to another, that is what is so good about this site.

Cowgirl is using Alien Bees but I think she used flash head to begin with. I myself use a canon 550EX for main, a sunpak AF5000 for fill and I have an old Metz that I will use for background lighting. I still have a lot to learn but am taking it slowly.

You appear to have the basics for the setup, background, lightstands etc, so it is just a matter of getting placement correct, then settings and then come the results.

Personally I wouldn't use the gold reflector, I would use the white one.

(I didn't read the other posts yet because I was originally answering this on the other forum you posted to. But since I took the time to write it all I'll go ahead and post it all :))


What model flashes are you using?

I'm going to take a guess that they're a couple 420EX or 520EX's. If that's the case, then I think the problem is that the exposure for the flash is being calculated from the black background.

If you have 550EX flashes then you'll want to set them to manual mode and adjust the output power directly from the flash instead of the camera. If you're using 420EX flash units then you've got problems.

Then again, maybe you're not using any flashes. How are you setting off the strobes/flash on the two stands?

One last thought. If the strobes aren't adjustable it could be that they're just too powerful. The only solution for that is to move them further away (or somehow block more light) or adjust the aperture in the camera to compensate.

This looks like a problem that CAN be solved so don't get discouraged too quickly!

Very good comments so far. The light placement is what is causing the problem. Use the advice given above.

Place the main light at a 45 degree angle (on photographer's right) 4-5 feet from the subject. The fill light should be next to the camera on your left side 8-10 feet from the subject. Then play around with background lighting, etc. The subject's bodies should be facing in the general direction of the main light.

Then simply make exposure adjustments using your digital camera.

Don't worry about poses, etc. now. Get the exposure correct first. By viewing your current setup, the quality of your images will not change until the light placement is corrected. So, readjust the lighting and post some more for us to view. Don't get discouraged, we'll walk you through this.

-Dave-

Just as an example of setting up the lights relative to people, background, camera etc

http://sell-it-on-the-net.com/photo_...rait_usage.htm

Not recommending them to purchase something as I never have and just found this on another forum relating to lighting.

Hope it helps you Kitt2121

The camera was on Manual setting and this was the best picture of about 60(at all different settings)
The picture was 1/125 and f4.0 ISO 100 AWB
There is no brand name or anything on the lights, no writing at all.

Here is a link to the site where they were purchased from: <ahref="http://home.att.net/~alexwlau/DreamMaker/My_Products.htm"</a>

This is all that I know about the flashes:
-------------------------------------
This auction includes a Studio Lighting Combination Set with the following items:

A Master/Slave Flash with 10' PC Sync Cord1

A Slave Flash

Two A/C Swivel Umbrella Adapters

Two 7 ft Light Stands

Two 32" umbrellas (Silver/White)2

A Carry Case with Side Pocket

Everything you need to set up a home studio is here.

The Master strobe has a guide number of 55 (Main light) and the slave strobe 42 (Fill light). You may fire this set with the 10' PC Sync cord connected to your camera3. Or you may fire it with an infrared device.

The umbrellas soften the light to give you a very pleasing wrapping effect. This practically eliminates all ugly shadow.

The A/C swivel adapters provide power to the strobe right from your wall outlet. It connects the lights to the versatile 7 ft. light stands and the umbrellas. You may adjust the swivel for the shooting angle and the height you desire.

The Master strobe can be used as a slave unit also. It has an PC sync adapter for connecting to the camera. It has a test button.

Both have a power on/off light and ready light. They recycle time is less than one second (fast). They both have a removable diffuser. You may mount color gels (optional) to give the picture a different mood.

The entire set up fits nicely in the durable carry case. There is a large side pocket in the carry case to put away your other accessories. Heavily padded carry strap.

1. Standard sync cord is 10'. Optional 30' sync cord is available.

2. This set comes with two umbrellas your choice. If not specific, a silver and a white is the default combination.

3. If your camera doesn't have a PC Sync outlet but just a hot-shoe, the hot shoe/sync outlet adapter is available.
---------------------------

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flashram_Peter_AUS

Kitt2121,

Tell us about your gear, what type of flashes are you using, can you show us a picture of the backs of them where the controls are etc. What camera dial setting are you using, are you using manual setting.

It is frustrating, but it can be done with a little patience. We all learn and many from one to another, that is what is so good about this site.

Cowgirl is using Alien Bees but I think she used flash head to begin with. I myself use a canon 550EX for main, a sunpak AF5000 for fill and I have an old Metz that I will use for background lighting. I still have a lot to learn but am taking it slowly.

You appear to have the basics for the setup, background, lightstands etc, so it is just a matter of getting placement correct, then settings and then come the results.

Personally I wouldn't use the gold reflector, I would use the white one.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kitt2121

My pictures have a very hard bleak, deer in headlights look to them.
The specs on the picture of my not impressed husband and daughter:
1/125
4.0
ISo100
Auto White balance
Canon Rebel EOS Digital

---

Exposure aside, as you've read in the other replies, the positioning of your lights is wrong. The others give good advice for fixing this.

My main question is: if your posted shot is overexposed, and the camera was set at f/4 for it, why don't you just stop the lens down two or more stops? I mean, it's not THAT much overexposed that you can't make adjustments...

If this is the result from an f/4 exposure, f/8 or f/11 should make it much better.

How did you meter the light?

If you don't have a light meter, then a good way to manually calculate the exposure needed is to simply take the guide number of the main light and divide it by the distance, in feet, away it is from the subject. For example, if you are using your main light, guide number 55, and it is placed ten feet away from the subject, just divide the guide number by 10, or 55 divided by ten, which is 5.5. That means that on average, an fstop of 5.5 or close to it, will be exposed properly.

Guide numbers are usually derived using an ISO of 100, so be sure to compensate for that when using different film speeds.

For the fill light, just do the same thing and try playing with the distance so you can get it about a stop down, then try two stops down.

Hope this helps,
Tom

During all this talk, I've not heard how you metered the flash. Are you using a flash meter or just setting the F stop and shooting? You need a way to measure the amount of light hitting your subject and adjust accordingly.

Also the light positions are off. In addition to what other people mentioned they are too high to be shooting your child who is so close to the ground. Lower the lights. See how quickly the lights are falling off on the lower half of your subjects?

Dennis

Cowgirl, you need to reverse your lights. The light that is 3 ft from you should be your fill, not your main.

For a very basic setup, mainlight is 45 degrees to subject, fill light is right beside your or directly behind you up as high as you can.