avoiding shadows with flash portrait photography
jo ann lampro via PhotoKB.com
have had the problem of shadows around the outline of the girls. I don't
see the shadow when I take the photo. Does anyone know of a way to avoid
this? It is flourescent type lighting in the studio. Thank You
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Whatevah
> I will be taking photos soon for a dance studio, for the past 2 years, I
> have had the problem of shadows around the outline of the girls. I don't
> see the shadow when I take the photo. Does anyone know of a way to avoid
> this? It is flourescent type lighting in the studio. Thank You
>
there will always be a shadow somewhere... But, you can control where
the shadow is, if you have the right equipment.
If you are just using the built-in flash on your camera, then there
isn't anything you can do. However, if you have an add-on flash and can
adjust the flash head, try aiming the flash at the ceiling or a nearby
wall to bounce the light off of that.
--
Jerry <at> Whatevah.com
Siddhartha Jain
years, I
> have had the problem of shadows around the outline of the girls. I
don't
> see the shadow when I take the photo. Does anyone know of a way to
avoid
> this? It is flourescent type lighting in the studio. Thank You
You need to play around with flash diffusers and flash bounce. If its
the on-board flash then try using a home-made flash diffuser. Using an
external flash and a flash diffuser/bounce, you should be able to avoid
harsh shadows.
Check these:
http://www.fredmiranda.com/A18/
http://www.phototakers.com/forum/archive/homemade-diffuser-6732.htm
- Siddhartha
Bob Hickey
"jo ann lampro via PhotoKB.com" <fo...@PhotoKB.com> wrote in message
news:380f45164cbc4c83...@PhotoKB.com...
> I will be taking photos soon for a dance studio, for the past 2 years, I
> have had the problem of shadows around the outline of the girls. I don't
> see the shadow when I take the photo. Does anyone know of a way to avoid
> this? It is flourescent type lighting in the studio. Thank You
flash exposure plus an underexposed ambient exposure. If the shots are
coming out OK w/ flash, just have them turn down the room lites. Or, if
you're shooting w/ 400 film, use 100, and of course more lite from the
flash. We used to shoot a couple of Polaroids to set up the lites, but I
guess nobody does that anymore. Bob
Hickey
Roxy d'Urban
> I will be taking photos soon for a dance studio, for the past 2 years, I
> have had the problem of shadows around the outline of the girls. I don't
> see the shadow when I take the photo. Does anyone know of a way to avoid
> this? It is flourescent type lighting in the studio. Thank You
Shadows will appear wherever there is a light source.
The best you can hope to do is reduce the amount of shadow by diffusing
the light sources on all sides and using an off-camera light source.
You don't say whether these are posed portraits, or environmental
portraits.
--
?
Joseph Meehan
> years, I have had the problem of shadows around the outline of the
> girls. I don't see the shadow when I take the photo. Does anyone know
> of a way to avoid this? It is flourescent type lighting in the
> studio. Thank You
First read Bob's response on ghosting, I think he is onto something.
If it really is a shadow, then there are several solutions.
The closer the flash is to the lens the less shadow will be shown. Of
course there is always a trade-off, in this case that trade off is red eye.
The closer the flash to the camera the more the red eye.
You can soften the flash (and the shadow) but using some sort of defuser
or reflector. You may be able to bounce the light off the ceiling for
example (most built in flash will not allow this.
You may be able to use more than one flash. More complex but properly
done you can get great results.
In my experience, unless you are posing the girls you want to try and
move the flash away from the camera lens, by a foot or more and pick a
position, usually directly overhead, to produce the lest offensive shadows.
--
Joseph Meehan
26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math
Ken Tough
>jo ann lampro via PhotoKB.com wrote:
>> I will be taking photos soon for a dance studio, for the past 2 years, I
>> have had the problem of shadows around the outline of the girls. I don't
>> see the shadow when I take the photo. Does anyone know of a way to avoid
>> this? It is flourescent type lighting in the studio. Thank You
>Shadows will appear wherever there is a light source.
>
>The best you can hope to do is reduce the amount of shadow by diffusing
>the light sources on all sides and using an off-camera light source.
Depending on the type of camera, it might also be possible to reduce
the contribution from the flash, just using it as a fill. For example
on the D70 you can dial down flash compensation to -3EV and use the
room light as the primary source. It might make colour balancing a
bit tricky though as the flash is usually less blue/green than the
fluorescent.
--
Ken Tough
Alan Browne
> I will be taking photos soon for a dance studio, for the past 2 years, I
> have had the problem of shadows around the outline of the girls. I don't
> see the shadow when I take the photo. Does anyone know of a way to avoid
> this? It is flourescent type lighting in the studio. Thank You
Post an example.
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-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.
jsmith
flash gun that has a swivel head aimed at the ceiling, to which is attached
a diffusing attachment made by LumiQuest. The other requirement is to have
your subject as far from a back plane as possible.
Follow this link to Google to view the LumiQuest attachment.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Alan Browne" <alan....@FreeLunchVideotron.ca> wrote in message
news:DSkVd.62812$044.2...@wagner.videotron.net...
jo ann lampro via PhotoKB.com
jo ann lampro via PhotoKB.com
I'm using on the flash itself?
Also, someone mentioned that shining lights from behind on the same level
as the girls might help..?? they are posed photos, and I have a drop cloth
I am using...of course it works fine when I use the black background, but
then the girls with dark hair kind of blend in...it's when using the white
backgrounds that the problems arise.
do appreciate your comments so much..thank you!
--
jo ann lampro via PhotoKB.com
bendable bulb holders. Do you think I should shut down the overhead
lights, and try using those? Directed at the girls? Someone had said
shining the lights from behind the screen...I don't know that I've ever
seen that done...thank you so much for your help!
jo ann lampro via PhotoKB.com
you mean by a homemade diffuser? Thank You!
Roxy d'Urban
> So when you say using an off camera light source...I have a lamp with 3
> bendable bulb holders. Do you think I should shut down the overhead
> lights, and try using those? Directed at the girls? Someone had said
> shining the lights from behind the screen...I don't know that I've ever
> seen that done...thank you so much for your help!
If the lights you have are the plain old garden variety you won't get
enough light for a portrait if there is no other ambient light.
This is a whole different area of photography. I suggest you maybe get
some books out of the library (or from a bookstore) if you want to learn
more and get better results.
--
?
Alan Browne
> I once saw someone tape some tissue paper over their flash..is this what
> you mean by a homemade diffuser? Thank You!
That will help a little, but best is to make the area of the flash as
large as possible. You can get mini-softboxes that attach to the flash
that will increase the area about 10x.
Peter Irwin
> jo ann lampro via PhotoKB.com wrote:
>
>> I once saw someone tape some tissue paper over their flash..is this what
>> you mean by a homemade diffuser? Thank You!
The main reason why people tape tissue paper over the flash
is to reduce output when using the manual flash setting.
Many flashes have only one manual power setting, so a piece
of tissue paper is a convenient method of reducing flash output.
If you want more diffusion - softer shadows - you need to make
the source of light larger. One example of a homemade approach
to this is shown on Rick Oleson's page:
<http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-82.html>
where he describes a white card which fits in behind the bounce
head of a flash so that around half the light hits the card and
makes a somewhat diffuse source above the camera and the rest
of the light hits the ceiling where it makes a very diffuse
overhead source of light.
Peter.
--
pir...@ktb.net
Bob Hickey
"jo ann lampro via PhotoKB.com" <fo...@PhotoKB.com> wrote in message
a black background was acceptable, use that, plus get a screw in flash with
a built in slave, about $20 and use that aimed straight down from the
ceiling and maybe a little behind their head to provide separation on the
hair and shoulder. Anybody see the first 15 minutes of "Kill Bill"
vol.II ? Beautiful lighting. Worth the price of admission alone.
Bob Hickey
AnOvercomer 02
jo ann lampro via PhotoKB.com wrote:
>I once saw someone tape some tissue
> paper over their flash..is this what you
> mean by a homemade diffuser? Thank
> You!
I made a diffuser for my flash from a half gallon milk carton.
Try this link:
http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/index3.html
Cody,