Lighting with my AlienBees

[tomorrowland]

I got a few AlienBees about a month ago. But I can't seem to get the light placement correct among many other things.

Is there a guideline on setting the height in relation to your subject? Also how close do you usually put them to the subject.

And can anyone suggest a good book on lighting placement?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mike_r]

When I was thinking of buying some lighting I found this site:
http://www.paulcbuff.com/forums/
Its actually run buy the guy who produces the lighting, Paul C. Buff.

Also check out:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/index.php
They have an area called: Small Flash and Studio Lighting

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I got a few AlienBees about a month ago. But I can't seem to get the light placement correct among many other things.

Is there a guideline on setting the height in relation to your subject? Also how close do you usually put them to the subject.

And can anyone suggest a good book on lighting placement?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

There is a lot more to lights than where to place them. You also have to understand what modifiers (softboxes, umbrellas, barn doors, grids, gels, etc) to use and when. My favorite book on the subject is Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting. It's not just a simple cookbook of different light configurations. It explains the theory so that you understand why things work the way they work. I recommend that you read it first and experiment with your lights using the principals from that book. Then go buy a "cookbook" from your favorite portrait (or whatever) shooter and use their recipes. By reading Light Science and Magic first, you'll understand why their recipes work and you'll be better able to adapt them to your situations.

 

[MICKEY88]

www.photocamel.com

is a great site with tutorials on all sorts of stuff, including lighting

 

[Miqee]

http://strobist.blogspot.com/

Colin

 

[tomorrowland]

Thanks for all the suggestions.