Marian's Portrait Learning Thread :)

Better!

I always put the fill near the main, although it's more center, almost right behind me (and the camera).  I use my main light really super close so it is nice and soft and the fill further back and higher.
Benji's right about feathering, I feather the main, but I don't worry so much about the fill.  You can also feather slightly down or up too.

Interesting math people, main and fill on the same side, hmm, interesting.

You're getting there Marian, you are being confused about the lighting, however, YOU were on the right track about the placements of the lights on #2

Arms length with main, and go downtown with the fill for the shadow side, depends on how downtown you want to go, same as main, 2:1, going downtown, 3:1, 5:1, 9:1
3:1 best for you, remember, shadow side to camera and use fill ratio. Turn face towards the main.

Short lighting BTW

For a basic height, raise arm, palm of hand for height if standing, if sitting, same idea.
Pointing lights at a certain degree, nope, horizontal will do.

Unfortunately, I'm not liking the fake head. It has catchlights painted on, and the skin is so reflective, nothing at all like how light caresses real skin.

I have at least 5 books on portrait photography and have read them at least 3 times each. Alas, none of them have diagrams, they just say that the fill should be x value from the main and how you need a kicker and a hairlight and a background light. But they spend 3 chapters on the rule of thirds.

I was wondering if you guys could take some photos of a willing subject while using your lights, but only using a fill and a main, no other lights, so I can see how it should look.

At least I'm finally getting the lights where I don't have to set the ISO at 800 anymore!


For some reason, I like my own face broad lit, maybe because of the pudgy cheeks, ha ha.


Well, I'm going to play more tomorrow, so I'll give that a try. I really appreciate the help from everyone. I'm taking notes and doing little drawings of light configurations as they are mentioned, so I'll certainly be seeing what works for me over the next couple of days. Wheeeeeeeee... you guys are all great!

On a side note, this new f/1.4 50mm lens is AWESOME!!!

Basic

camera is based on lens used, I picked the zoom lens camera. The lights are in a ratio position to achieve 3:1 a light meter helps to get;
5.6 on main and somewhere at 1 and 1/2 fstops which would be what, 3.5 that would give you f 8 of light on the face, 3:1

Broad light? turn face away from main
Short light? turn face to main

Fill will do his thing to whatever distance to placed him. He fills the shadows to however much you would like.