Backdrops and HiLite in tight spaces, good lighting techniques?

Hey all,

Picked up the 6x7 hilite during the week and awaiting other backdrops next week. Was wondering if anyone had any tips, thoughts or advice on good, even lighting in tight spaces?

Took a few photos of my younger brother, who insists the photos must never see the internet, so can't share them, but they looked good. The hilite and white train were almost completely blown out and the divide where the hilite and train meet was wiped too. I figured this lighting effort out in about 30 seconds, but I'm not sure if there's anything else I'm not thinking of (I'll be shooting someone next week who wont mind their photos going online).


This is pretty much the set up I was using (except with just one stool and one person):





In the extraordinarily poor diagram above, the flash unit to the left of the camera was on the floor, the one to the right was at eye level (on a mantle piece) and the one in front was at belly-level (on a coffee table).

I'm trying to avoid lightstands and umbrellas and softboxes, etc. because they take up a lot of space and I don't know how much space I'll have doing this kinda stuff. I'll carry them for the times I get lucky, and have room for them, but right now i'm just trying to get as compact as possible.


So what I'm wondering is if there's anything I'm not thinking of? Everything seems okay to me, but I'm sure there may be a better way of doing things to get the same or better lighting? I'm also trying to avoid direct flash (I don't care too much for catch lights in the eyes from small flash units. Looks ugly).


Cheers!

nilhg

I'm far from an expert but it seems you have a good basic setup there.

Just one point though, even though your brother doesn't want his shot on the net you could have grabbed a few setup shots with no subject, just for future reference, I'd suggest doing one with lights firing and a dark one too.

Well this is (I think) the first photo I took of it (I was sitting in a chair, so my legs and all are in there, it was just a test shot).

This isn't the same lighting set up as above, though. This one, the light on the left was facing directly forward at the backdrop (to remove the line between the Hilite and floor) and there was no flash in front of the set up. After I tweaked it a bit i had my brother in there, so I won't put them up :P

oshead

I don't get it, what are you trying to do? What readings are you getting from different areas on the hilite and on the subject? Why are you putting the flash so close to the floor? How are you lighting the subject? What are the numbers?

It's to try for lighting a person/people evenly, in a very tight space. The flashes are on the floor, because I'm assuming that in the space i'm given, i won't be able to put lightstands or such into the mix...

oshead

Oh... Well good luck with it.... Looks like you're on the right track...

malene

who offers best price on 6x7 hilites?