Celine 3

[Chataignier]

Roughly the same set up as the previous shot from this series, but model standing and I think I had changed the soft box camera left to a 1m20 by 40 strip box.

[Manfred M]

With everything that you have described, it suggests that your setup has a significant hot spot. I assume you softbox has two baffles to diffuse the light?

I would be tempted to shoot with a feathered light so that the hot spot does not fall on the subject. The face is looking overexposed in this one as well.

[Chataignier]

With everything that you have described, it suggests that your setup has a significant hot spot. I assume you softbox has two baffles to diffuse the light?

I would be tempted to shoot with a feathered light so that the hot spot does not fall on the subject. The face is looking overexposed in this one as well.

Yes it has (they have).

[Chataignier]

I think the problem is in my processing, not in the shoot. Tried to do too many too quickly. I've reworked this one from scratch bearing in mind your comments and I'm much happier with it.

What do you think ?

[Manfred M]

When I shoot in the studio, I rarely do a lot of retouching as I can control the light there quite well. Most of it tends to be hair that is out of place or reflective skin. Yes, I can see some of the reflections that could from be perspiration from working in a hot studio setting.

Yes, the exposure looks better here. Are you metering the flash or estimating the exposure some other way?

[Chataignier]

When I shoot in the studio, I rarely do a lot of retouching as I can control the light there quite well. Most of it tends to be hair that is out of place or reflective skin. Yes, I can see some of the reflections that could from be perspiration from working in a hot studio setting.

Yes, the exposure looks better here. Are you metering the flash or estimating the exposure some other way?

Test shot, look at the histogram.

[Manfred M]

Test shot, look at the histogram.

I use a flash meter especially when using multiple light setups. I find I can use trial and error / histogram, but prefer not to.

When I use trial and error, I don't use the histogram for the whole scene, but rather move up an shoot so I get the key area I want the expose to be bang on. In portraiture this is generally the face. Here I will zoom in and get my readings and will then move back and shoot. As I tend to shoot at either f/8 or f/11 in the studio, I don't have to worry about changes in lens aperture as I zoom on the cheaper lenses. I usually shoot more expensive lenses that have a fixed aperture throughout the focal length range or I shoot a fixed focal length lens, so if I do shoot with a shallower depth of field, I am covered.

That being said, I rarely shoot without my flash meter, so the only time I have to do things manually is when I forget to put it in my camera bag.

[Chataignier]

Been away for a few days - just seen your reply Manfred. Yes, move in and test shoot only the key area - makes total sense, cant imagine why I didnt think of it - will try that in future. Thanks.
As for aperture changes with zooms - no issue there, for portraits I'm mainly using the Canon 50mm f1.8 with an adaptor. On the aps Fuji that works really well for focal length and the quality is excellent.