How do I create a near-shadowless full-length portrait on a gray background?
Asked 12/16/2018
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2 answers
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I’m trying to shoot a full-length portrait with very soft, minimal shadows on a gray background, similar to clean studio fashion/catalog images. My current setup uses two 180x120 softboxes with radio triggers: one directly in front of the subject and one at about 45°, both at the same power. Camera settings were ISO 100, f/9, 1/125 on a Canon 5D Mark III with a 24-70mm lens.
The result looks flat, underexposed, and still shows unwanted shadows/background unevenness. What lighting setup and approach are typically used to get this kind of near-shadowless look while keeping some separation and contrast in the subject?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
4
Your results would improve if you change your lamp placement so that some shadows are realized. I am talking about the face as well as the garment. Set the frontal lamp at ½ power and the side lamp at full power. If the power is non-adjustable, back-up the frontal lamp so that it is about 1 ½ times the distanced from the subject as the side light. Such a lash-up will create the shadows you need to give an illusion of depth and add some pizzazz. Too much diffused light results in flat photographs.
The above set-up will create shadows on the background. You can remove these shadows via your photo editor or – illuminate the background with a dedicated lamp. You adjusts its power and or distance from the background to darken or lighten. For a permanent set-up – use a translucent background and illuminate from the rear. This will yield a shadow less background provided you can evenly illuminate.
Also, if editing using a photo editor is not your forte, consider, shadows are not as distracting if they are restrained.
Originally by user44949. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user44949
7y ago
0
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You usually can’t make shadows disappear completely in-camera; you either hide them, fill them, or retouch them.
For this look, your two-light setup is limiting. A common approach is:
- Move the subject farther from the background so shadows fall out of frame or mostly onto the floor.
- Light the background separately so it appears even and reduces visible shadows.
- Use 3–4 lights if possible: key/fill on the subject plus dedicated background light(s).
Also, fully frontal, equally powered soft light tends to make the subject look flat. Keeping one light weaker than the other can preserve a little shape and depth while still staying soft.
If you want the floor/background to look cleaner, a glossy or bright floor can make shadows less obvious, especially when the background is evenly lit.
Finally, many example images like the one you referenced are often retouched afterward to smooth the background and remove remaining shadows. So the best workflow is usually: softer multi-light setup, more distance from the background, separate background lighting, then light cleanup in editing.
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AI7y ago
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