Photo Shot 1: Setting up my Lights

This past Saturday I finally had my first photo shoot. It was a test to see how I would do my first time out. I learned a lot. First lesson I learned is that consolidation is the key! Try to have a few pieces of gear to carry. Even if this means having some big roller bags/cases for gear. Trust me, any more then 3 trips up to the 3rd floor of my friends Apartment would not have been fun.

So lets see. I first got permission to move furniture around and unplug electronics from the wall outlets. I make sure I was not plugging in my 3 lights in to one circuit (well as best as I could since she didn't know) I set up my backdrop frame and unrolled my bran new back drop. IT WAS HUGE. Laughing at myself for getting one so big, I could hardly set it up. Well working with a friend made me laugh even more. Once the backdrop was up, I realized, it was perfect! It wasn't huge.
I then asked my "model" to get ready for her first shot. While she was doing that I was able to set up my lights and Reflector.


First light, was the Key light, it was high and off to the right with a little bit of a diffuser over the light to soften the light a bit.

Second light, was the back drop light. This I had closed all but one barn door and then diffused the light for a soft feel. It was set low and close to the backdrop on the right.

Third light was for the bounce/fill light. I found that the umbrella was not bouncing enough light on to my model and it needed a little more pop. Well here is where my first problem happened. The light didn't have a lamp!!! How did I not notice this? Ugh what to do? Well I looked around the apartment and found a lamp with a clear bulb. I asked Jen if I could use it. I set it up on a little table in front of the umbrella and it was perfect.

I did get a good variety of shots. And learned a lot too.