High(ish) key portraits

[ionian]

Haven't posted in a while - hope all are well. I got a new background today so did a quick set up for a high key shoot, taking over the living room entirely!

Set up was a reflective umbrella with speedlight on the background on the left, key light speedlight on the right in a shoot through umbrella, and fill flash on camera. F9 / 1/250 / ISO200.

My own thoughts - I needed a more even spread of light on the backdrop but I'd run out of lights, my fill flash was too bright, my white balance has a hint of magenta. I'm hoping to supplement my lighting gear at Xmas, but I'm shooting with what I have in the meantime! Comments very welcome.

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[Geoff F]

I agree about the background shadow issues; otherwise excellent.

The second image works particularly well.

[Shadowman]

Regardless of the lighting the third is the charmer, I'd crop to head and shoulders or reshoot and get more of her hands in the composition.

[RBSinTo]

Simon,
All three photo are technically very nice, but my favorite is three simply because the subject's smile is natural, unlike her forced smile in the first two.
I'd also suggest cropping out some of the empty space to the subject's right in number three.
Robert

[madcrow]

One little girl that likes the camara and by the looks full of mischief which you captured. I do not about gear but you did well with what you got.

[cichlid]

That second image is precious. Nice work.

[ionian]

Thanks for the comments - some useful ideas. This will be much easier to control technically when I have some softboxes as light spills everywhere from the brollies.

Robert - I agree about the natural look, but she likes to do "cheesing" as she calls it - if she sees a camera she says "cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeese" which leads to that mile-wide smile of hers...

[IzzieK]

She is still soooo cute, Simon...and she is getting so used to you modelling her. My preference is #3 too.I bet that soft animal goes to bed with her...unless she has a thousand of them ...

[ionian]

Thanks Izzie- that rabbit goes EVERYWHERE. In fact, once we had taken pictures of Imogen, she insisted we take pictures of the rabbit. She sat on my lap, we lined it up together and she took this - not bad for a two year old, and this is straight out of camera! I reckon she has a future in photography

[IzzieK]

Their mind do not have the limitations like we do. So develop that in her. That was quite a pretty shot. You must have seen some of my granddaughter's pictures which she took with an old Android phone. My son gave her that when we were going out to do some shoots somewhere. If you remember the upside down frog that was... That was quite awhile now but I still encourage her to do some shooting every now and then with that camera phone when we talk to her in Skype. You are lucky you can do that more than I can with Anika...

OFF-TOPIC: Any relation to Steven K. Grimes?

[ionian]

I'm no relation to Steven. I'm also no relation to Joel Grimes although I love his work, his sports portraits with HDR backgrounds and use of wider-than-usual focal lengths are a real inspiration. Plus he looks suspiciously like my grandad in his younger years, so I'm sure there must be a family link there somewhere

[IzzieK]

I'm no relation to Steven. I'm also no relation to Joel Grimes although I love his work, his sports portraits with HDR backgrounds and use of wider-than-usual focal lengths are a real inspiration. Plus he looks suspiciously like my grandad in his younger years, so I'm sure there must be a family link there somewhere

Steve's name just came out of the blue when I saw your signature. He passed on in 2003. His business was taken over by Adam Dau.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Simon,

I think I detect a hint of subject shadow on the background in #1 which, from your description of light placement, must have been caused by that BG light being too far forward (no doubt for evenness of illumination) and this may (in this shot at least) be in part responsible for your thought of the 'fill being too bright'.

Given the shadow cast by rabbit on her in #2, neither issue seems to be there, it looks about right for shadow depth.

However, all three look fine to me; #3 being fav.; for spontaneity.

Cheers, Dave

[ionian]

I had the fill on my camera, and I think I had moved forward in the first image. The shadow is definitely the on-camera fill, as I was holding the camera in portrait orientation hence its location to the right of the subject. The flash was set to manual and I didn't alter the power setting when I moved. Space was very much at a premium, as were light stands.

I'm happy with the shadow depth although it could be softened under her chin I think - but working with toddlers, its not like you can get them to stand exactly where you want and hold a reflector still so you have to take what you're given!

[Dave Humphries]

I had the fill on my camera, and I think I had moved forward in the first image. The shadow is definitely the on-camera fill, as I was holding the camera in portrait orientation hence its location to the right of the subject.

Ah, ok - I thought the shadow was too offset for it to be the on camera flash, but I guess that makes sense.

Yes, it's not a deep shadow by any means.

The flash was set to manual and I didn't alter the power setting when I moved. Space was very much at a premium, as were light stands.

Yes, getting all the flash off camera is essential to successful exposure when they are on 'Manual' so this doesn't happen. Couldn't you put it on a bookshelf (or similar item of furniture at a convenient height) using the little hot shoe stand?
I just got myself a third, manual only Godox flash, just £52 with built in RF triggering - but shhh, don't tell my family.

I'm happy with the shadow depth although it could be softened under her chin I think - but working with toddlers, its not like you can get them to stand exactly where you want and hold a reflector still so you have to take what you're given!

I am about to learn this lesson!
Won't be long now before Chloe figures out how to move on two legs having discovered how to pull herself up on anything to hand.

Cheers, Dave

[William W]

Nice Portraits. Cute Subject. Good Timing.

Commenting only on the Technical aspects that you mentioned:

. . . My own thoughts - I needed a more even spread of light on the backdrop but I'd run out of lights,

Agree.

***

. . . my fill flash was too bright . . .

Probably not, but maybe.

I suggest as a first issue, it is in the wrong place: A Simple "V" for Key and Fill and a Simple "V" on the backdrop is a simple beginning for a “4 Light High Key, Lighting Set.'

One issue/benefit that you have to manage when the Fill Light is at 0° to the Lens's Axis, is the additive effect to the Key Light Side for any area of the Subject which is "Face On" to the camera.

I think that is what you are seeing in three images and that is why you think that the Fill Light is too bright, which technically it probably is, for that position of Fill Light, but that's not the point of my comment.

Also in the first Image, it appeared that there could have been Spill from the Backdrop Light on her Hair and R. Cheek - but your recent comments reveal that it is possibly the Fill Light which is positioned on camera, but NOT on top of the camera (i.e. NOT at 0° to Lens's Axis but offset slightly toward Camera Left).

I am not sure ? ? ? . . . there seems to be an awful lot of burnout in her hair at Camera Left . . . I just wonder if it is at all possible that there is some Spill from the Backdrop Light onto the Subject?

***

. . . My white balance has a hint of magenta. . . .

I concur.

My Studio Monitor noted a touch of BLUE cast too, but not as severe as the MAGENTA.

But - to my eye, I find neither upsetting.

WW

[ionian]

I should clarify - yes, it is entirely possible that there is spill camera left as well as an issue with the fill light. Following the mantra that you should shoot with what you have, and not wait for the ideal gear before trying things, I was shooting with three lights, two light stands and a tiny room that did not give me enough separation between the backdrop and subject. I'm happy with the results I got from the set-up I was working with, but I acknowledge that it is not the "correct " way to do it!

Really useful info about the fill light adding to the key-side when in camera - I hadn't considered that but now you've pointed it out, it's clearly something to think about. I have a trigger set on the Christmas list amongst other things, so that will be the final reason to move the fill off-camera.

I edited by eye on an iPad so I'm not surprised about the colour cast. Another thing to sort in the future, but I agree that it hasn't impacted detrimentally on the scene in this case . It's just obvious because of the white background.