Strobe Lighting And Backgrounds

Lots of things to consider, Sybil, but I would say (depending on how big the set and if people will be photographed) three at a bare minimum. Possibly more, though.

- Hair lighting
- Key lighting
- Side lighting

but so far it has been food that i have doing

I'm not a food photographer, but I would think just basic light. It could even be ambient room lighting that might work. It depends on what exactly you're trying to accomplish. Have you done a web search on this topic?

Check out Scott Kelby's work on the subject of lighting. You can find him on twitter and a lot of other places offering free advice but the books that he sells are very well done and he has one that covers lighting that would answer all of your questions.

I use a main light and a reflector as a minimum. If using a backdrop you may have to light that too.

Put the food by a window and use natural light. Backdrop not needed besides a clean wall or shoot with more table at the back of the food and at a more downward angle so all you have is the table in the background. Way simpler and you can use a reflector if need be.

depends on the food, depends on the look. bottles and such look good with a light box underneath. a softbox creates a shape in the reflection. and depending on the subject you might want an umbrella and a reflector. usually lesser is better because you want a dramatic look. if its for a product, simply placing the item in a light tent and lighting it from the outside is all you need. but if you want art, then carefully selecting the light and the shape using barn doors or a mask of some kind, may make the difference. and of course bouncing the flash will also give you different results.

---Mike Savad

Sybil,

Really depends on the "look" you want. More commercial, then lights would work. If more natural, window light or a light bounced out of a corner, to create the "window feel". Here's my old web site and a few food shots,which are more "editorial" than commercial and most, if not all, no lights were used:

http://www.richfrancophotography.com/index2.php#/rgallery/6/

Some of the shots,were just sunlit. I would roll my big table out the back garage door,into the sun and then diffuse it,until I got the look I wanted. Of course,working in direct sunlight,especially here in Florida,melts everything, the photographer included. You'll need a "prop" plate, of just anything and then get the lighting just right and then bring in the "hero" dish and shoot away!

Good Luck,

Rich

I don't get a lot of context from your posts. Food is usually an indoor shot, natural or studio lighting would normally be sufficient. However, with flash there are the usual technical considerations:
1. Inverse square law: if using strobes, light falls of rapidly in the distance. Placing strobes well behind the camera helps, but will decrease total light output. Extra strobes besides those mentioned to illuminate the background.
2. If you need deep depth of field, you tend to need more light, and thus, more slave strobes.
3. For softer light, diffusers help. This reduces total available light.
4. If you're depicting action, like spilling milk, or ice plopping into water, etc, you need to control exposure time and/or flash duration. Both of these affect light levels.