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Photo Forum / Photo Technique / People Photography / February 2005Fill light question
Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and background. A soft lighting is desired so the key light is in a softbox (or 'brella). Is it neccesary to use a softbox/umbrella for the fill light? (Let's say the fill is at least 1 stop down from the key). Cheers, Alan  Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. > Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and background. > A soft lighting is desired so the key light is in a softbox (or 'brella). [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Cheers, > Alan Hi Alan, Personally, I think it looks a little funny to have a harsh light for a fill when your key light is diffuse...but I imagine you could come up with some scenario where it'd look good, perhaps if you were doing some high ratio (dramatic) lighting and may wish to have your fill a bit more localized so that more of the face fell in shadow. Kodak used to have (still has?) an excellent little book on portrait lighting that came in an 8x12 paper envelope. (I've been trying to find mine as I am starting to do portraits again.) HTH, George > Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and > background. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > (Let's say the fill is at least 1 stop down from the key). Generally speaking, your fill should be a soft, non-directional (as possible) light source. Nothing wrong with using a big umbrella/soffbox/starfish. > Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and > background. A soft lighting is desired so the key light is in a [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > (Let's say the fill is at least 1 stop down from the key). No, it's not "necessary" depending on what effect you want, what sort of filll light you have and where it is; but to keep everything "soft" you should also use a big fill. Small light source relative to subject = two things: sharp(er) shadows and smaller specular reflections. If your fill was a ring light, you would/should have no shadow problems but the speculars would still be there. If all you have is one big soft light and a small one for fill, you would be better off using small for main, big for fill. As far as that goes, you will learn far more about lighting by using all small lights...soft is virtually idiot proof. Not to mention overdone. -- dadiOH ____________________________ dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico > Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and background. > A soft lighting is desired so the key light is in a softbox (or 'brella). > > Is it neccesary to use a softbox/umbrella for the fill light? > > (Let's say the fill is at least 1 stop down from the key). If you have to use a fill, it should be as inconspicuous as possible. Remember that what a light does is put highlights, if may be one stop under overall, but there will still be highlights and many of them will be spectral (blocked up white.) The question I have for you, is it necessary to use a fill light. The fill is a kludge fix for the real problem, your key light isn't adequate for the subject. Problem shadows are a symptom of bad highlights. The tradition of using a fill light comes from the days when other simple solutions weren't possible, IE: hot lights and lack of fire retardant fabrics, they used metal reflectors, fresnel lenses to aim and focus every bit of available light energy on the subject. A compromise solution can be to move the second light to a position between the key light and the camera position, this makes it a secondary key, its highlights can blend or extend the key light's and give the effect of a larger wider single light source. take your flash head and bounce it off a side wall, no boxes or brollies, see how that light works, you have a light source 8 feet tall at least. >>Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > is a kludge fix for the real problem, your key light isn't adequate for the > subject. I don't agree with you on this, for me the fill is to lift the shaddows a bit. I 'can' make the opposing side dark, or use a reflector to be sure, but for color shots I like the fill light look better and I can back it off to a pretty high ratio. B&W I can make do with one light or evening light from my window bouncing off of white vert blinds. <snip> > A compromise solution can be to move the second light to a position between > the key light and the camera position, this makes it a secondary key, its > highlights can blend or extend the key light's and give the effect of a > larger wider single light source. In effect, this will be my solution, a softbox or umbrella pretty much beside the camera and the key on the opposite side for shaping. I'm looking for specific shaping so the position of the key is set by the effect. > take your flash head and bounce it off a side wall, no boxes or brollies, > see how that light works, you have a light source 8 feet tall at least. My "studio" is not appropriate to that approach (empty living room, varied colored walls, large window area (NW facing), bookcases, med-dark wood ceiling, etc. I have lots of strobes though, a couple softboxes and a couple umberellas so building it up works. Thanks for your reply. Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. > In effect, this will be my solution, a softbox or umbrella pretty much beside > the camera and the key on the opposite side for shaping. I'm looking for > specific shaping so the position of the key is set by the effect. I would *NEVER* put the fill and key lights on opposite sides of the camera. > > In effect, this will be my solution, a softbox or umbrella pretty much beside > > the camera and the key on the opposite side for shaping. I'm looking for > > specific shaping so the position of the key is set by the effect. > > I would *NEVER* put the fill and key lights on opposite sides of the > camera. thank you. > Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and > background. A soft lighting is desired so the key light is in a softbox [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Cheers, > Alan Thank you all for your replies. Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. >> Let's say I have a simple three light portrait setup, fill, key and >> background. A soft lighting is desired so the key light is in a softbox [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Cheers, > Alan I look forward to seeing the results Alan. Anything appropriate for "Symmetry?" Walt |
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