Reply #15 - April 09, 2007, 01:16:45 AM
Although we are hijacking this thread - there should bea new one about this subject- I want to shortly describe my main lights in my studio, the main and the fill.
I own a very small studio, there is hardly room to swing a cat, but my main light is on my left hand, the bottom of the softy box generally at eye level. It is there, because as we read from left to right, the main light in the image is the same way. The aperture of the main is about 5.6.
The fill is over my head, at about 2 meters from the floor and it is a light on a boom with a simple reflector, aimed at a white wall, about 2 meters behind me. The effective aperture of the fill at the sitters place is about between 2.8 and 4, a liitle closer to 2.8. There is a "curtain" of light, a little over 2.8 at the sitter's place, always providing a non directional light -from the photographers point of view.
It has stayed this way for about 14 years, the only variation has been the power of the main light and the angle. If I want more contrast I sometimes set it a stop higher at max, if I want to lower the contrast I use a reflector.
I was taught this lighting system by Gil Cox FBIPP from Bishop Stortford. an excellent teacher. He taught me one of the most important things: it is like the main light is attached with an iron bar to the forehead of the sitter; once it is good, it will always stay at the same angle. You can turn the head whatever direction you like, the light moves with it.
The second light in the eyes? Usually I retouch it away if needed. Just a matter of seconds since digital. In the days of dyes it took a minute at most.
Leen
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