 BetterPhoto Member |
How to make use of 2 Umbrella Flash with 550EX I've 2 Qihe Umbrella Flash in my Studio. I also have 550EX flash. I noticed that the white background I am using doesn't come out very well. I use tripod with the camera mounted on it. Please advise me on what to do as to make a better use of the equipments I have to get better pix
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W. |
Hi Sydney, "the white background I am using doesn't come out very well" What does that mean? How DOES it come out and what would you want different? We are in the image business here, and 'a picture paints a thousand words', so why don't you post one or two images that exhibit the effect(s) you don't like? Then you and us are at least talking about the same thing, and maybe someone can suggest something worthwhile to you.
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- Carlton Ward Contact Carlton Ward Carlton Ward's Gallery |
Hi Sydney, with the limited information you gave, I would think you may need to position one of the lights on the background. Are the Qihe lights strobes ? How much power are they ? How far is the subject from the background ? I would try a light on the subject and one on the background and see if this helps. You may be able to angle one light to the side to illuminate both the subject & background but beware of shadows. Good Luck - Carlton
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Alan N. Marcus |
Sydney, consider that the camera and the flash are mindless, i.e. they have no idea what color backgrounds you are using and what shade you desire. The photographer controls the shade (whiteness – grayness) of the background by adjusting exposure. Stated a different way, placement of the lights, lamp-to-background distance, lamp-to-subject distance and camera settings (aperture and shutter speed) all play key roles. To say this is a complex subject is an understatement. Nevertheless I will try and give some pearls of wisdom. Traditionally a minimal portrait lighting set-up utilizes three lamps. A main light set high and off to the side. The idea is to simulate afternoon sun. A fill at lens height placed reasonably close to the camera with brightness adjusted to be subordinate to the main by 50% (½ as bright as the main). Its purpose is to fill the shadows cast by the main. For some subjects it is set ¼ as bright as the main. To adjust, measure main-to-subject distance and multiply by 1.4. The product of this math gives the fill position (fill-to-subject distance further back than the main) for ½ as bright. Do this again for the ¼ intensity distance. A background lamp, aimed at the background. This lamp controls how the background records i.e. white, gray or dark gray etc. If a white background is required and you only have two lights, one lamp is designated as the main. Its usual position is high and somewhat off-center to either right or left. The second lamp must be designated as the background lamp. Its distance lamp-to-background and/or its intensity sets the shade. Make a test shot. Examine the background for desired results. If too dark, the countermeasure is to move the background lamp in closer to the background. To adjust; measure background-to-lamp distance. To cause the background to lighten up, multiply existing background-to-lamp distance by 0.7. The result of this math is the revised background-to-lamp distance. This can be repeated over and over again until the desired shade is achieved. Note each repeat moves the lamp closer to the background. Conversely to back-off the lamp and darken the background, the multiplier is 1.4 Now the two light set-up as described compromises the fill lamp. The best remedy is to buy another lamp however, a white foam insulator board from Home Depot makes a low cost reflector. Position the reflector so that it catches the main light and returns some into the subject. As a sidebar, the main purpose of the umbrella light system is to cause the main to cast indistinct shadows. It might be that the main alone, in a small studio with light colored walls and ceiling, will work just fine. With a little experimenting you can adjust the main so that it spills light off walls or ceiling. The spill is indirect lighting that will commingle and with a little playing around, it can be caused to fill the shadows. Alan Marcus (marginal technical gobbledygook)
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