One light set-up & catchlights - updated pictures

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stringy

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Hi

I am trying to simplify my studio set-up so that it is a bit more portable and rather going for my normal white background have gone for a just using a black background and one light.

My problem is with catchlights in the eyes they always look odd and not very white and rather than making the eyes sparkle make them look a little odd.

I am using a large octagon shaped softbox off to the right and above. Should the softbox be further away to make the catchlight smaller, or is the positioning of the light completely off?

Image1


Image2


Image 3



All I have done to these images is convert to balack and white.

Advice and comments would be appreciated.

Stringy
 
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Yes you do have a very big softbox and possibly very close looking at the size of the catchlight..

I would move it back myself this will help reduce the amount of light you have hitting the subject.

I would also think about a reflector as you need some light on the other side of the face imho

hth

MD
 
i really like them - i much prefer black background to white background portraits which seem very much in vogue these days.

image 1 - i'd just have cloned out the spec on the top right.

also, i wonder if picture 2 would benefit from some selective colour? (such as in eyes or shirt?)

picture two is my favourite, those eyes just draw you in.

also instead of greyscale b&w, i wonder if a slight sepia or warmer tone might work better?

i don't process many of my shots in b&w, but when i do, i always make them 'warm' rather than just a greyscale conversion.
 
Thank you both for your comments, I will try some more later if I have time with the softbox further away to see the difference.

I will also look into different methods og convertiong to black and white to see which i prefer.

Stringy
 
If you move it further away the soft lighting you have now will become harsher, in the same way replacing the big softbox with a smaller one in the same place as now would

Your biggest problem is that it's simply too low. The catchlight really should be pretending to be the Sun and hence only showing in the top part of the eye - so raise it first for me. You can see the difference having it higher makes in #2 & #3 where it appears higher in #2 due to the tilt of his head, and worse in #3 as the tilt is the other way effectively lowering the key-light's position

I also don't like using reflectors or additional 'fill' lighting as it's very easy to make it appear unnatural - there is only 1 Sun after-all, so a well lit 'dark side' of the face can often appear wrong

That said, reflectors diagonally opposite the key light, and high too, can add a nice touch of hair/rim light to give separation from the background

DD
 
DiddyDave said:
If you move it further away the soft lighting you have now will become harsher, in the same way replacing the big softbox with a smaller one in the same place as now would

Your biggest problem is that it's simply too low. The catchlight really should be pretending to be the Sun and hence only showing in the top part of the eye - so raise it first for me. You can see the difference having it higher makes in #2 & #3 where it appears higher in #2 due to the tilt of his head, and worse in #3 as the tilt is the other way effectively lowering the key-light's position

I also don't like using reflectors or additional 'fill' lighting as it's very easy to make it appear unnatural - there is only 1 Sun after-all, so a well lit 'dark side' of the face can often appear wrong

That said, reflectors diagonally opposite the key light, and high too, can add a nice touch of hair/rim light to give separation from the background

DD
Click to expand...

Hi Dave
Thanks for the advice, I was photographing two different grandchildren at the same session and the other was smaller and the catchlight was about right, I think I forgot to move the light up and down to accomodate the difference in their height.

The softbox was really close (about 2 foot away) as I know you said before the further away it is the harsher it is.

I will experiment with the height of the softbox and remember to change the height and check the highlights during the shoot rather than just at the end.

Stringy
 
I'd be tempted to use a longer focal length also 28's a bit wide for portraits, even on a crop you still get the effects of it being wide angle.
It might just be me but his head seems a lot larger than his shoulders, lens distotion perhaps? I'd also drop my position slightly to be more at his height, looks like you are shooting from above which adds to the distortion. Appreciate he's a youngster and they can be a bit out of proportion until they grow into all their bits.

Matt
 
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MatBin said:
I'd be tempted to use a longer focal length also 28's a bit wide for portraits, even on a crop you still get the effects of it being wide angle.
It might just be me but his head seems a lot larger than his shoulders, lens distotion perhaps? I'd also drop my position slightly to be more at his height, looks like you are shooting from above which adds to the distortion. Appreciate he's a youngster and they can be a bit out of proportion until they grow into all their bits.

Matt
Click to expand...

Yes the first is at 28 and does look more distorted than the others, although come to think of it he is a bit on the larged headed side, I can say this as I am his granpa!
 
if you want harder light and smaller catchlights go smaller softbox over further back to reduce light on the bg from changed isl fall off, keeps the black blacker ;)
 
DiddyDave said:
If you move it further away the soft lighting you have now will become harsher, in the same way replacing the big softbox with a smaller one in the same place as now would

Your biggest problem is that it's simply too low. The catchlight really should be pretending to be the Sun and hence only showing in the top part of the eye - so raise it first for me. You can see the difference having it higher makes in #2 & #3 where it appears higher in #2 due to the tilt of his head, and worse in #3 as the tilt is the other way effectively lowering the key-light's position

I also don't like using reflectors or additional 'fill' lighting as it's very easy to make it appear unnatural - there is only 1 Sun after-all, so a well lit 'dark side' of the face can often appear wrong

That said, reflectors diagonally opposite the key light, and high too, can add a nice touch of hair/rim light to give separation from the background

DD
Click to expand...

While it's true there is only one sun, that doesn't mean multiple light sources for balance is wrong. Okay, use one light source if you're attempting to replicate the sun, but that's not a given. Multiple lights gives you so much more creative scope.
 
Hi Here are a few more with the comments taken onboard from contributors so far

Image 4

Image 5


Image 6


Your comments would be appreciated

Stringy
 
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