I recently purchased a light kit (Excalibur 3200) and last night I did my first "setup". I shot some with it when I first got the kit last weekend and my first observation was that good even lighting is pretty easy with strobes bounced into an umbrella. I've never used strobes before so I was expecting some pretty horrible results, but found it was pretty hard to mess up when bouncing. It definitely harder to get dramatic lighting that I was expecting.
So...last night I tried my first "real" setup. My goal was to take a high key "Rembrandt" lit portrait. I think I got the high key part right, but that is about it! My biggest mistake was that I put the key light on the wrong side (so I ended up with broad lighting?). I kept monkeying with the fill light but it never really made much difference. I guess because the key light was bounced and was providing too much fill? I was wanting a dramatic ratio like 4:1 (2 stops) but I just couldn't get it with my setup. Actually I don't have a light meter so I have no idea what my ratio was, but probably 1 stop (2:1)?
I was basically following the "guidelines" of...good subject distance from background, 45 degree key with catch lights at 10/2, fill opposite, background light, etc. My little exercise reminded my that the more I learn, the more I don't know.
I wasn't trying to match my lighting with subject/dress/pose, etc..Mary just happened to be my only willing subject (she usually is!)
Setup:
Processed:
Straight from camera:
Much thanks and many props to  idnic for her Portrait Lighting -- Learning Thread
Comments? Advice? Critiques? Thanks!
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