Speedlights for use in a home studio

STANNERS72

STANNERS72

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SIMON
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Just wondering if someone can offer any advise

I have a small home studio set up which consists of a white/black vinyl background, a softbox and a few reflective/shoot through umbrellas. I use two speedlights for my lighting but am struggling to get to right results. I currently use one speedlight with an umbrella as the rear pointing to the background and the second in front to use as fill light. But with this set up I am struggling to get an even light distribution on the background.

So my question is would I benefit from getting a 3rd speedlight, so I could use two for the backlight and the 3rd at the front for fill.

Or is there another way I should position the 2 speedlights I already have.

Thanks
 
Hi Simon,

it depends what you are trying to achieve and how much space you have. As you are lighting your background I assume you are trying to get that white? If that is the case it is possible to do with one light, but easier with 2. You said umbrella for the background, I assume reflective rather than shoot through? But either way it is a difficult modifier to direct and avoid spill from. You could try a bare flash behind the subject pointing at the middle of the background.

The above advice, however, is probably useless without more details. Why don't you tell us what you are trying to achieve and an image showing where it is going wrong?
 
Using 2 reflective umbrellas, powered by speedlights isn't ideal for lighting a white background evenly, but trying to do it with one is virtually impossible.
So yes, you need a 3rd one.
 
Thanks Pete

yes I'm trying to achieve a white background, i have the studio set up in my living room, space wise its approx 4m wide and 8m long. I have been using the shoot through umbrella for the background.

I at work so don't have any images I can post to hand at the moment but will post some later

cheers
 
STANNERS72 said:
Thanks Garry

What would you say would be the best way then to light the background then?
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STANNERS72 said:
Thanks Pete

yes I'm trying to achieve a white background, i have the studio set up in my living room, space wise its approx 4m wide and 8m long. I have been using the shoot through umbrella for the background.

I at work so don't have any images I can post to hand at the moment but will post some later

cheers
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Do NOT use a shoot through umbrella for this, it is totally the wrong tool. Use 2 x white reflective umbrellas, each at an angle of around 45 deg to the background. The left one has to be aimed to light the right hand side, and vice versa. That way, you'll get fairly even lighting.
 
Garry Edwards said:
Do NOT use a shoot through umbrella for this, it is totally the wrong tool. Use 2 x white reflective umbrellas, each at an angle of around 45 deg to the background. The left one has to be aimed to light the right hand side, and vice versa. That way, you'll get fairly even lighting.
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And for clarity, because I'm not certain we're all singing from the same hymn sheet: That's just to light the background. Lighting your subject is another task for which you'll need at least 1 light and a reflector.
 
Phil V said:
And for clarity, because I'm not certain we're all singing from the same hymn sheet: That's just to light the background. Lighting your subject is another task for which you'll need at least 1 light and a reflector.
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Thanks Phil,

Assuming I get the background lighted correctly with the two speedlights and I have a 3rd to light the subject. What position would the 3rd light be in and where would a reflector be placed
 
STANNERS72 said:
Thanks Phil,

Assuming I get the background lighted correctly with the two speedlights and I have a 3rd to light the subject. What position would the 3rd light be in and where would a reflector be placed
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Wherever you want!

It sounds flippant, but it depends what you want to achieve. There are a few general principals though, for a single light I'd go high (for natural looking shadows) and at whichever side of the camera your subject will be facing - start simple - maybe 30 degrees. The reflector at camera position to soften the shadows, as close as is practical.

But you should look up short lighting, butterfly lighting, clamshell lighting etc.
 
I'm thinking I would move the subject as far away from the BG as possible and then light the BG w/ the softbox from as far as possible, and as directly as possible, without spilling onto the subject (probably close to mid distance). A softbox will be more even than a reflective umbrella, the shape will more closely match the area being lit, and the distance should help with falloff across the BG.
This leaves you with a shoot thru umbrella to light the subject and you'll be closer to the back wall of the room. The reflected light from the umbrella will bounce off the back walls and add to the ambient (uncontrolled light) to soften up the ratio... it's a recipe for "flatter" light but by manipulating the distance of the subject and light in relation to the walls you should have some control over the ratio.

The biggest issue with this idea is power. The flash in the softbox is going to be running hard and you'll probably have to run the key light at a much lower setting. That and the BG will need to be pretty large. It is also going to shorten up the camera to subject distance... you don't really want to get much inside of ~10ft.

This is all just a "workaround" idea... I'm not certain you could make it work but it should be possible. Ideally you need more lights/stands/modifiers. I'd want two more with softboxes; probably three. Then I would use two in softboxes for the BG from a shorter distance (they can be cheaper/smaller boxes ~ 24"). And speedlights aren't really the best choice either IMO.

(I'm guessing that part of your issue is the distance of the light from the BG, and probably your subject distance as well. Your room is pretty large by "home studio" standards, you need to use it.)
 
Hi

I'm by no means an expert (Garry/hoppy on here are IMHO the experts and have probably forgotten more about lighting than I'll ever know) but I have experimented with shooting around the house.

White backgrounds - two speed lights for the background and one for the subject. Not ideal in the tight space I had so now I have a hilite.

Black background was the easiest set up for me as just one light and a reflector.

I have taken to using a grey wall and two speedlights. Quick set up and I prefer the non white background look at the mo.

S
 
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