Rosie's first studio shot (pullback added)

[Livin The Dream]

I know this is a little marmite, the baby in a bucket shot, but I quite like them so planned this one beforehand. It's been a manic 10 days since her arrival and work is just so busy at the moment that I'm struggling to find the time to get the shots I want.

Typically, by the time I had everything set up she was wide awake and it took a couple of hours to get her to sleep. There are a few niggles. Like the fact that the gridded light for the background was just too darn powerful to place it directly overhead on my newly acquired boom, so moved away but isn't quite right. Only real way I can think of to tame it down is to use an ND filter, can't think of any other way unless I use a speedlight? Anyway, here's the first of many. Really need to get the beanbag shots done asap but this week is mental....

 

[Kodiak Qc]

•
Is she what you both were expecting, already!
Where is my cigar? ;-) Sweet dreams, girl!

The place is too bright for a sleeping shot… a dimmer and more
directional light would have convey a better atmosphere I think!

 

[Livin The Dream]

•
Is she what you both were expecting, already!
Where is my cigar? ;-) Sweet dreams, girl!

The place is too bright for a sleeping shot… a dimmer and more
directional light would have convey a better atmosphere I think!

I built the little set with the intention to light it all. The spotlight effect, to me, can seem a little 'dark' in what I wanted to be a ray of sunshine, nice and bright.

Might put the pullback on tomorrow.

 

[Seajay]

Love this and Congratulations!

 

[step72]

Absolutely beautiful, I would love to see the pull back image.

 

[UaeExile]

The only thing that bothers me is the uneven lighting. Even then I think you've done a good job!

The one caveat to that being I don't like baby's in buckets, but I can still appreciate a good shot!

 

[Livin The Dream]

Love this and Congratulations!

Thanks Cathy.

Absolutely beautiful, I would love to see the pull back image.

I'll try my best tonight to add that.

The only thing that bothers me is the uneven lighting. Even then I think you've done a good job!

The one caveat to that being I don't like baby's in buckets, but I can still appreciate a good shot!

Cheers Adam. I'm not a fan of the actual bucket but we already had this basket which is her older sisters so there was an element to that.I did want more of a defined blob of light behind her but I think I have just about got away with it. It was worth the faff of papering the board the night before....

 

[cargo]

Hi Kris. Yes well worth it, and the basket is fine. The use of the hat with the wooden button really brings/pull this together for me. Firegive ne but i'm no expert and if you had not mentioned it I would have thought one light was used here. So if you do put the pullback up later that would be great.
I think it's great you built the little set as you get an even better feeling of accomplishment when the images turn out great.

Gaz

 

[juggler]

The only thing that bothers me is the uneven lighting. Even then I think you've done a good job!

The one caveat to that being I don't like baby's in buckets, but I can still appreciate a good shot!

It is good, definitely. I'm gonna be picky now 'cos that's what you've asked for and it's easy to me to do so after the event. As ever, I am not an expert but can work up an opinion on anything regardless of actual knowledge..

• The composition is a bit weird; why so much bright space above her? I think landscape, cropping the bottom of the bucket may be more engaging but I know I tend to frame a bit close.
• The WB is probably accurate but it might be nicer if warmed up a tiny bit. Otherwise I like the processing.
• The lighting.. is nice enough and a bit like window light, but is somewhat hard and is instinctively - to me - from the wrong direction. Relative to her face you've made horror lighting, i.e. you're lighting her face from below, which is what's created the uneven shadows, e.g. the shadow of the nose on the eye. I'd be very interested to see what experienced newborn photographers have to say on the subject though.

PS You can tone down the light by adding another layer of diffusion material - or a large piece of ND gel - on the light or by using an ND filter on your lens. Or just use the modelling light, if there's no ambient to speak off.

 

[juggler]

Absolutely beautiful, I would love to see the pull back image.

 

[Livin The Dream]

Hi Kris. Yes well worth it, and the basket is fine. The use of the hat with the wooden button really brings/pull this together for me. Firegive ne but i'm no expert and if you had not mentioned it I would have thought one light was used here. So if you do put the pullback up later that would be great.
I think it's great you built the little set as you get an even better feeling of accomplishment when the images turn out great.

Gaz

Thanks Gary for commenting.

It is good, definitely. I'm gonna be picky now 'cos that's what you've asked for and it's easy to me to do so after the event. As ever, I am not an expert but can work up an opinion on anything regardless of actual knowledge..

• The composition is a bit weird; why so much bright space above her? I think landscape, cropping the bottom of the bucket may be more engaging but I know I tend to frame a bit close.
• The WB is probably accurate but it might be nicer if warmed up a tiny bit. Otherwise I like the processing.
• The lighting.. is nice enough and a bit like window light, but is somewhat hard and is instinctively - to me - from the wrong direction. Relative to her face you've made horror lighting, i.e. you're lighting her face from below, which is what's created the uneven shadows, e.g. the shadow of the nose on the eye. I'd be very interested to see what experienced newborn photographers have to say on the subject though.

PS You can tone down the light by adding another layer of diffusion material - or a large piece of ND gel - on the light or by using an ND filter on your lens. Or just use the modelling light, if there's no ambient to speak off.

Hi Simon. I have a few other options that I quite liked too in landscape. I had an 85cm gridded Octobox camera right just washing the face at about a distance of 2ft and not fully directed at her. I actually think it could be bigger (I do have a 100cm Rotalux but no grid) and I'm not overly happy with the quality of it (it's a bessel) especially the grid, which isn't great. That said, it's not too hard IMO. There's only a reflector on the left side so not sure where the horror lighting has come from? I'll look at that later on a bigger screen, hadn't picked it up myself.

I do think that I tend to err on the colder side of processing. The WB was a little deviated away from the card I used. Interesting feedback, a few things to consider. I am not really happy with the cheap softbox though so am going to consider a 135cm version soon, will it make a big difference though? I felt 85cm for such a small subject would be adequate.

 

[ST1]

Kris, I'm no expert but... you may be better with a crop that removes some of the space above the main subject, probably a square ISH crop just my my opinion, please feel free to ignore.

 

[juggler]

I had an 85cm gridded Octobox camera right just washing the face at about a distance of 2ft and not fully directed at her. I actually think it could be bigger (I do have a 100cm Rotalux but no grid) and I'm not overly happy with the quality of it (it's a bessel) especially the grid, which isn't great. That said, it's not too hard IMO. There's only a reflector on the left side so not sure where the horror lighting has come from? I'll look at that later on a bigger screen, hadn't picked it up myself.

I'm not experienced enough to comment on softbox size, other than to say that large ones in small spaces are a pain.

The slight horror lighting is from the camera right Octobox. Imagine if Rosie were upright and that light was in the same place relative to her face - you'd be lighting her from below.

 

[Livin The Dream]

Kris, I'm no expert but... you may be better with a crop that removes some of the space above the main subject, probably a square ISH crop just my my opinion, please feel free to ignore.

I was a little lazy with this last night and was an after thought I had too. Will probably crop when I decide exactly which version I prefer.

I'm not experienced enough to comment on softbox size, other than to say that large ones in small spaces are a pain.

The slight horror lighting is from the camera right Octobox. Imagine if Rosie were upright and that light was in the same place relative to her face - you'd be lighting her from below.

Space is the biggest issue at home and is the reason I haven't bought one yet but I do look at the look of Beth's images in particular and I just don't get that cut-off from either of my boxes. If I post the pullback later, you'll see how tricky it is even in my medium sized living room.

 

[Leroy4bz]

Angelic!

 

[redmonkee]

I think this is a lovely shot. Maybe a smaller basket would have made rosie more of a focal point as the basket is rather large. And i agree thr lighting is a little hot but nothing that cant be addressed next time love thr background youve made. I know how hard this is to do as i dod the same for my daughter not so long ago. Would be happy to share my results for comparisons sake well done

 

[JimPMM]

I agree with the idea of a square crop - it would make a big difference I think.
Really like the processing, and the lighting is good but there's something slightly off for me - may just be the fact that I'm so used to always lighting from the left for these shots and that it's just different to my lighting. You've done very well to reduce the shadows from the basket (which I think it's perfectly fine too for this type of shot).
I would maybe bring the basket forward, away from the background, just a touch more to get a slightly more blurred background but that's just nitpicking really - great shot, and I look forward to seeing more.
Regards
Jim

 

[Livin The Dream]

I think this is a lovely shot. Maybe a smaller basket would have made rosie more of a focal point as the basket is rather large. And i agree thr lighting is a little hot but nothing that cant be addressed next time love thr background youve made. I know how hard this is to do as i dod the same for my daughter not so long ago. Would be happy to share my results for comparisons sake well done

I had the same thought about the basket but it's actually her older sisters so holds a sentimental note. I have a smaller one but just want to get the beanbag shots done this weekend, if I have time I may have another go.

I agree with the idea of a square crop - it would make a big difference I think.
Really like the processing, and the lighting is good but there's something slightly off for me - may just be the fact that I'm so used to always lighting from the left for these shots and that it's just different to my lighting. You've done very well to reduce the shadows from the basket (which I think it's perfectly fine too for this type of shot).
I would maybe bring the basket forward, away from the background, just a touch more to get a slightly more blurred background but that's just nitpicking really - great shot, and I look forward to seeing more.
Regards
Jim

The left side is usually my go-to too Jim. It was only because she was angled the other way that I swapped everything over. I did want a shallower DOF but both of my strobes were on minimum setting already. There were a few shots where I pulled the basket as far forward as I could for that reason but it didn't make a significant difference. I may have a tinker when I have time to add a little extra blur to the background to make her pop.

 

[Mark-Anthony]

Very nice setup, love the wooden floor idea. If pic number 2 wasn't shown, i'd have been convinced the backdrop was an actual room

 

[Glyn Carnell]

I'm no expert either and just learning studio lighting but one thing I remember is reading that small soft box's are ok but you need to place them very near the subject.... then is becomes softer... Worth a try????

Great shot though.... use what you have and refine it

 

[Livin The Dream]

I'm no expert either and just learning studio lighting but one thing I remember is reading that small soft box's are ok but you need to place them very near the subject.... then is becomes softer... Worth a try????

Great shot though.... use what you have and refine it

Thanks Glyn. That is generally the idea and so here it's as close as practically possible without getting in the shot. I have a few snaps where it just got into the shot.

 

[juggler]

Space is the biggest issue at home and is the reason I haven't bought one yet but I do look at the look of Beth's images in particular and I just don't get that cut-off from either of my boxes. If I post the pullback later, you'll see how tricky it is even in my medium sized living room.

Having looked at the pullback.. if you want more dramatic falloff then I think the light needs to be closer and more to the side, with fill to taste. You haven't got room to move the softbox. Why not try using your boom with a standard dish reflector - and perhaps a grid or maybe a flag - and bouncing it over the top of the set to a reflector on the opposite side? Barn doors may help if you have them. You may find that you can make it do double duty as background light too.

 

[Livin The Dream]

Having looked at the pullback.. if you want more dramatic falloff then I think the light needs to be closer and more to the side, with fill to taste. You haven't got room to move the softbox. Why not try using your boom with a standard dish reflector - and perhaps a grid or maybe a flag - and bouncing it over the top of the set to a reflector on the opposite side? Barn doors may help if you have them. You may find that you can make it do double duty as background light too.

Hi Simon, I shall have a think about that, sounds quite ellaborate for me. Would another softbox for fill not do the same job, trying to think what bouncing off the reflector would add?

 

[juggler]

Hi Simon, I shall have a think about that, sounds quite ellaborate for me. Would another softbox for fill not do the same job, trying to think what bouncing off the reflector would add?

I may have misunderstood what you were after. I thought you wanted to emulate the Rembrandt-style rapid falloff that Beth (@sunnyside_up) sometimes uses? To do that you need to move the light more to the side, and you haven't got room to do that with your softbox. A reflector takes up a lot less space, so if you could bounce light off one instead that might do the job. You've got a boom which would be perfect for the job, and you might be able to angle it to light the background at the same time. You'd still need some fill.

I could attempt a diagram if that would help.

 

[Swanseajack]

Not sure if it would work Kris, but could you slide your set-up into the other room, even partly, the dinning room by the looks of things. Would this give you more working space?

 

[Y15HAL]

Love this!

Congrats BTW!

 

[G.K.Jnr.]

Great shot Kris, as you say a bit marmite but that doesn't detract from a very nice bit of work.

"Good to see the pullback and I think you have done very well working with such tight conditions".

George.

 

[Livin The Dream]

I may have misunderstood what you were after. I thought you wanted to emulate the Rembrandt-style rapid falloff that Beth (@sunnyside_up) sometimes uses? To do that you need to move the light more to the side, and you haven't got room to do that with your softbox. A reflector takes up a lot less space, so if you could bounce light off one instead that might do the job. You've got a boom which would be perfect for the job, and you might be able to angle it to light the background at the same time. You'd still need some fill.

I could attempt a diagram if that would help.

Ah ha. It was the spotlight on the background that was proving the challenge as the strobes are too powerful directly from above. Thought about just using the modelling light but with a radio trigger you can't mask it so that it won't fire too. Plus, got to be careful of the strobe over heating with a grid attached. There's also a colour difference too (2700k modelling light, 5000k flash)? Hmmm?? ND gel then but I couldn't see much online other than coloured gels?

Not sure if it would work Kris, but could you slide your set-up into the other room, even partly, the dinning room by the looks of things. Would this give you more working space?

Hi Simon, not really, there's more width in the living room. Kind of get away with it, just.....

Love this!

Congrats BTW!

Thanks Vishal.

 

[Livin The Dream]

Great shot Kris, as you say a bit marmite but that doesn't detract from a very nice bit of work.

"Good to see the pullback and I think you have done very well working with such tight conditions".

George.

Many thanks George

 

[juggler]

Ah ha. It was the spotlight on the background that was proving the challenge as the strobes are too powerful directly from above. Thought about just using the modelling light but with a radio trigger you can't mask it so that it won't fire too. Plus, got to be careful of the strobe over heating with a grid attached. There's also a colour difference too (2700k modelling light, 5000k flash)? Hmmm?? ND gel then but I couldn't see much online other than coloured gels?

If my suggestion works.. the spotlight would only graze the backdrop with the edge of the beam. If you needed a grid it would eat at least a stop, probably more. It's usual to turn the modelling lights off when using a grid or gel.

It must be possible to disable the trigger, surely?

Elinchrom and Lee Filters make colour correction and ND gel sheets - I think The Flash Centre sells them.

 

[Livin The Dream]

If my suggestion works.. the spotlight would only graze the backdrop with the edge of the beam. If you needed a grid it would eat at least a stop, probably more. It's usual to turn the modelling lights off when using a grid or gel.

It must be possible to disable the trigger, surely?

Elinchrom and Lee Filters make colour correction and ND gel sheets - I think The Flash Centre sells them.

Thanks Simon, I'll check those ND's out. Can obviously not use the trigger whilst using just the modelling light on the background, but then can't fire the key light? IR is better in this respect as you can mask off a sensor? I think an ND filter is the answer.

 

[juggler]

Thanks Simon, I'll check those ND's out. Can obviously not use the trigger whilst using just the modelling light on the background, but then can't fire the key light? IR is better in this respect as you can mask off a sensor?

On all the heads I've used it's been possible to swap how they're triggered between radio (if in built radio receiver), wired, slave or none - and to set the radio channel. Is that not the case with yours?

 

[Livin The Dream]

On all the heads I've used it's been possible to swap how they're triggered between radio (if in built radio receiver), wired, slave or none - and to set the radio channel. Is that not the case with yours?

Of course! I think I might be suffering from "baby brain" too. Can switch the channel on the one head to stop it firing. Still be a colour shift though so ND I think will solve the issue, thanks for your input.