Baby studio photography - help?

Zascar

I have a 4 month old son and I'm trying to take some proper photos. I have a set of Elinchrom studio lights, I've played about with them a little and got some decent shots but its very much trial and error, and luck. Here are some shots I took yesterday but I got the focus wrong on some so I'm going to try again today. Canon 6D and 24-105mm f4 lens. Light at lowest setting, iso 100, 1/160th, f4 to f5.6 mostly. Any feedback welcome.

The problem I often find is the light is too strong even on its lowest setting. I switched to my 85mm f1.8 lens as I wanted greater dof - but its wayyy overexposed - unless I put the light on the other side of the room but then it does't look as good as if the light was close and I was at f5.6 or so. Last photo is with this lens at f3.5. What do you guys recommend to fix this?

Where can I get some tips on taking these types of photos?

JustAThought

lots of lovely colour photos anyoneshould be proud to have there.Great kid -4 months only!?!!!!

DaireQuinlan

great photographs :-)

If you can't lower the light settings even more, and you're at the least sensitive ISO, then your only option is to 1. move the lights further away or 2. stop down. Shutter speed shouldn't make a difference unless you're at the sync speed or above. Alternatively ND gels on the lights or some modifiers might do the job i.e. bounce off an umbrella or something.

Myksyk

When you shoot without lights in a studio you should get a black screen. Make sure your settings allow this ... studio settings usually 1/125 or thereabouts, ISO 100, f/8. Opening a lens up to f/1.8 or something might introduce ambient light and take some control away from you with regard to lighting the subject.

Lights can be tricky and difficult to advise on when you're not there to see but check simple things like exposure compensation on your camera. At the lights lowest settings they simply should not be overexposed. I use elinchrom lights .... lowest settings (depending on placement) should hardly throw any light on the subject. Even using a large light a couple of feet from your subject you should still have the control to barely light the subject if you so wished. Distance can help but further away also means harder light. If using light to one side (as you seem to be) use a reflector close to the opposite side to control shadows, otherwise you are likely to power up the lights to even it up and risk overexposing the side you're lighting from.

Overall, I think there's likely a problem with the lights setup/control. Have a re-look at that.

PS What a puddin'!

Zascar

Thanks all. I read about a Neutral Density filter I can add in the softbox to take it down a few stops, may do that. Another suggestion was to get the while softbox cover sheet from the 2nd light and add it so that there are two. May help to diffuse a bit more light. Otherwise I was thinking of getting a while sheet and draping it over as well - would that work or not?

Yes I can take the light back but it seems to be the light is not as nice when its further back - is there anything to this or does it not matter?

CabanSail

Can I ask if these are Lights or Strobes you are using?

Zascar

Elinchrom D-Lite 4 RX

CabanSail

Digital multi-display
The flash / modelling lamp power is displayed in f-stop compatible formats from 2.0 – 6.0 for
D-Lite it 4 / 400 ws. The flash power difference from (e.g.) 5.0 – 6.0 is 1f-stop.
The power range is 5 f-stops, variable in 1/10th intervals. During charging or discharging, the display «flashes». In case of overheating or malfunction, the display shows “E” for error followed by the error code number.



With the ability to change from 25 to 400 Joules you should have enough control. It would seem that due to either fault or error the strobes are firing at full power which is causing the over exposure.

I got the manual Here

Zascar

Took a few more today: https://imgur.com/a/rNXuA0X

John_Rambo

I use Bowens lights commercially for food, products etc... The biggest problem with electronic flash units is space. You need lots of space to set the lights back from the subject, they're designed for working in large spaces and setback is always good for human subjects.

My work involves different set ups, some for glass bottles, some for products with reflective materials, some for matt materials, lots of poxy plastic food packaging, using hair spray to dampen reflections etc... and then they go to the retoucher!!!

If you're getting in to this for mainly kids professionally you'd ideally have a light metre and have a good three or four permanent set ups where you're not testing at all and can use an attractive depth of field, you'll know what settings the lights should be at for each exposure. Tethering for testing is a must.

In saying that, you're not exactly having much problems from the results you're putting up here. They're excellent. Top class shots. (like most of the stuff posted up here)

I'd recommend a 50mm 1.4 for anything like this. If you're stuck a bit for space a 35mm 1.4 with large soft boxed light for primary and a smaller one or a bounced umbrella reversed as a secondary source and two large reflectors.