Halloween costume portrait lighting

[TristanP]

My wife makes the costumes every year - this time they were Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf (last year Dora and Boots, year before TV and remote). We finally got the photo shoot in tonight, but it didn't go so well - it's like herding cats when you've caught these two after a nap.

I played with the light placement on a LARGE teddy bear for close to an hour before they woke up. I only have two external flashes and not much room in the garage. I had a 45" umbrella about eye level 30* on camera left and a small softbox on camera left higher up (~6') pointing down (~45*) between Red and the backdrop (and toward Red) as a pseudo-hairlight. A couple sheets of foamcore on camera right serving as reflectors rounded out the lighting.

My wife doesn't like the shots (wants a reshoot) and I'll let you guess why. Can I get some pointers here? Is something glaringly wrong or is this on the right track? Should I just go back to bouncing the main flash from the low ceiling like last year? I think I really need another Sunpak 383 to do these properly.

http://panekfamily.smugmug.com/photos/43213351-L.jpg


Setup diagram:

http://home.comcast.net/~sarahpanek/dgrin/setup.gif

[DavidTO]

Tristan,

I moved this to theory/technique/how-to, since you're really asking more about HOW to make this shot better than asking for comments and critique.

[TristanP]

Ok, thanks, whatever works. :thumb

[Mitchell]

I'll take a stab at this one. I assume your wife does not like the wrinkled sheet on the floor and background.

I actually think the lighting is pretty good. I would shoot this with the softbox over my left shoulder with the foam fill low and on the right side. Your other light could then be pointed at the background to eliminate any shadows.

You really have a problem with your space. She is just too close to the backdrop. A few feet forward and you should then open your lens as wide as you can to decrease your DOF. This should blur out the background nicely. You also may want to iron the sheet.:dunno

Hope this helps.

[Baldy]

I think the lighting looks nice but my own tastes are for black backgrounds for Halloween. In fact, for the background to be gone so the costume is the only thing.

http://heritageoaks.smugmug.com/photos/41830476-L-1.jpg

http://heritageoaks.smugmug.com/photos/41830431-L.jpg

http://heritageoaks.smugmug.com/photos/41830405-L.jpg

[TOF guy]

IMHO Mitch's comments about the background are right on the money !

The lighting on the left is a tad (just a tad) harsh.

I'd make the framing even tighter, like in Baldy's pictures.

Still quite a good job. This * is * hard !

Thierry

[TOF guy]

I think the lighting looks nice but my own tastes are for black backgrounds for Halloween. (snip) (snip pictures)
Wow Baldy ! As far as I'm concerned this is excellent work !

Just one detail left: the dual catch light discernible in the eyes (not all of them) is a little distracting.