Gave it a shot...

[payn817]

I tried doing a potrait. Only have two lights, and didn't have a bounce card with me, but here it is. Any tips on future attempts? Thanks for any advice/comments.

[Asylum Steve]

I think this is a fine shot. Lighting on your subject is right on, and the pose and expression are solid. Only thing is you could use a bit more seperation from your bg. That can be tough without more light.

Had this been a lighter grey bg (or your subject in a lighter colored coat), I think it would have been near perfect...

[payn817]

Thanks for the quick reply, and advice. Do you suppose a small optical slave below and behind the subject would be a good, economical solution?

[Asylum Steve]

Thanks for the quick reply, and advice. Do you suppose a small optical slave below and behind the subject would be a good, economical solution?

Yes. They're called "kickers" and they're good for throwing bits of light where you need it in a shot.

Myself, I simply have another flash for the bg, then modify it to control where the light lands. I also use light colored bgs a lot and just let the key light fall off on to the bg.

You might also consider a hot (tungsten) light for your bg. It will probably mean a slower shutter speed, so you'd need to use a tripod and have your subject very still (uness you want an intentional blurry edge), but it's an inexpensive option.

[payn817]

The slave worked, and to help a little, I put another light on the backside of my backdrop stand. Thanks for your advice Steve.