I take lots of portraits but I think I can be making them better. I have two umbrellas, two spotlights and a handful of flashes that work wirelessly with my camera. How should I be setting them up? Diagrams and suggested reads would be great. Pic related, took this earlier today.
Also lighting general
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>>2714062
How you set your lighting depends entirely on the mood of the shoot you're going for. Are you just asking for every lighting setup known to man, listed for you at my expense? Or do you just not feel like googling "Portrait Lighting Diagram"?
>>2714062
Did you make the background white in post?
And it looks you're underlighting his (your?) face with the key--throwing unfortunate shadows from his nose and sweater.
And this framing is weird. Double amputee.
And it looks like you tried to kick from the same side that the key light is on, which is also weird and unconventional. This is just all backwards.
>>2714064
Sorry, I didn't intend to put the load of work on your shoulders Anon. Most of the results google has returned have been from c u c k s that don't actually produce good fotos. Tbh, I hadn't even thought about how mood would affect lighting when using artificial light.
relevant
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>>2714066
Background was made white in post. It's not a shot that I was being paid for. The face is definitely underlit, but the hands aren't. I'm genuinely confused about where lights should be standing and facing.
>>2714067
>Tbh, I hadn't even thought about how mood would affect lighting when using artificial light.
Well, that's steps 1 through 6. Start thinking about your goal, and use the tools at hand to achieve them.
>>2714068
/p/ delivars
>>2714062
check out terry richardson photos. he might have a book or a blog too with tips.
>>2714070
Are these literal steps, or are you just being a fucker? Be honest, I'm asking for help.
>>2714072
Thanks for the tip anon, I enjoy a lot of his work but never thought to try and emulate and learn from it.
>>2714073
I'm being condescending because a photographer should never say something like "I hadn't even thought about how mood would affect lighting when using artificial light."
The only thing that makes you an artist is putting thought into things like that. If all you're doing is using the light as-is, and hoping for good results, then you aren't making photos at all. You're just documenting what's there, and if it's great, trying to take credit for something you didn't have any hand in creating. If you want to make truly great photos, you need to think about every aspect. Lighting, styling, perspective, cropping, composition, timing, expression, intimacy, environment, etc. Ignoring any one of these things will dramatically alter (and ruin) your photo. For instance, if you just snap a photo of a dude with under-lighting, and hope to just make the background white later, your photo is going to look like shit.
Asking "How should I light my photos" is like asking "How should I cook my dinner?" or "How should I drive my car" and the answer will always depend completely on your goals.
>>2714068
not every umbrella is called a brolly. raged.
otherwise nice, but why wouldn't they know this?
>>2714068
Badger looks like a Klingon.
>>2714078
>>2714078
Butthurt.
I never claimed to be a photographer or an artist. I take pictures of people because it makes me money. I can call myself a professional picture-takey man if that settles you down. I also explained (which I'm now assuming you've overlooked,) that I do have lighting equipment, I just wanted some insight on how to use that equipment.
If you haven't got that insight, or are willing to share that insight then bugger off.
>>2714082
>I never claimed to be a photographer or an artist
>>2714062
>I take lots of portraits
Interesting. Sounds like something a "photographer" might do. And yes, you have lighting equipment. And yet you've just stated you've never even considered how it might affect your final photo, so it's not being used correctly, is it?
I'm sharing the only insight that will actually help you. Telling you where you are able to put your lights doesn't do you any good if nobody tells you "hey by the way, you should probably think about your photo occasionally"
Sorry if it makes you upset to hear.
>>2714069
Super white backgrounds are achieved by blasting a white background with more white light. If you do it in post you get funky edges. Keep playing with placement, starting with the positions in that infographic. Start with one light, see what it does, and add more as necessary. If you're using more than three lights you're probably fucking up. Light the face first. Peter Hurley has a nice fuck-long video called "lighting the face" or something. It's seriously like 6 hours.
>>2714079
I agree. It's funny looking at graphics like this when you've been around studio lights a bit--it all seems very obvious. Noob photographers literally just don't see this shit when they look at a face. You have to train your eyeballs.
>>2714083
>never even considered how it might affect your final photo
I said specific to mood, when using artificial lights.
I think that you have little to no reading comprehension skills.
That being said, if you weren't a candyass, you could say, "If you want to establish this kind of mood, you can set up your lights likes this," instead of being an elitist jerk.
>>2714084
Thanks a bunch Anon, I have it queued up for after dinner/tomorrow morning.
>>2714085
Why the fuck would I spend 5 minutes of my time handing you something you could have googled on your own before even coming here? Did you even TRY YouTube? or did you run directly here to ask your half-cocked completely unconsidered question waiting to be spoon fed like a 13 year old?
>>2714085
Look, the guy gave you legit advice. If he wants to be an asshole, that's his right. Sometimes it's the only way to make helping a noob like you worthwhile. Stop being a puss, this is /p/.
>>2714088
You've now spent 30 minutes fucking around and arguing instead of helping someone that asked for advice. I asked for diagrams and specific reads that people would suggest. I figured you guys would be able to infer that YouTube videos would make the cut too. You're just being a burden to the thread.
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