This frame grab could basically use the same lighting diagram, but I remember the fill reflector being higher due to a desk being in the way. I think the fill on this shot is better (her neck doesn't blend into her face as much) and the shadows aren't as deep around her eyes. Is this more of a correct fill placement?

As always, any and all feedback is appreciated. Please be critical.

Very nice indeed.

I'd echo the earlier comments about the dramatic improvements between the first frame grab in this thread and the latest ones. Keep up the good work.

I think you are starting to run into the limitations of the equipment you have available. For what you have to work with, these shots are just fine. So, from here on, we're really talking about fine tuning things.

So, taking the last shot, for example. This is a case where having a separate light will give you more control. Even if you shoot that light into your reflector for a soft bounce, you gain much more control over intensity and direction than depending on just what you can catch from the key. In here somewhere, we get into "artistic interpretation". I'd probably work to reduce or eliminate that shadow under the lower lip on your last subject. It's not awful by any means, but I'm not crazy about it.

And regarding the Chiaroscuro Principle and backgrounds: It's pretty tough to do that with just one light, although sometimes it happens. It's all about the interaction of your interviewee and the background. If you want to make that happen, it requires control over the background elements, where they are located, and their tones and colors, and precision with your light. Your background is always dependent on your "set dressing", which is why production designers are such a key part of the look of motion pictures. From a lighting point of view, to get the level of precision required, I usually prefer a number of smaller instruments when lighting backgrounds, so here's another case where you've basically used everything on the truck and don't have any more options. Of course, there's a tradeoff to all of this in terms of time and therefore money. As you set more lights, it takes more time or some help if you want to get done in the same amount of time.

Anyway, as you're probably discovering, it takes progressively more and more work for each additional improvement in the image. But keep after it - and don't forget to experiment along the way. Lighting is not a formula process, which is one of the things that makes it so fascinating.

The stuff in the background is more distracting to me than the lighting. Monitors are OK... kinda "high-tech" looking. But the back of the PC, with its power supply light and cables, the phone, etc. Um... looks too much like my office. *LOL* And what's in the left of the frame, a white board?

All in all, the background just looks too "run and gun" compared to your lighting. If you could get a little more DOF, none of that stuff would matter too much.

I just want to focus on your talent... and not the PC behind her. Hmm... is she watching something on You Tube!

Just some well-intentioned suggestions,
Brian Brown

in general: if you had 4 of us come onto your set i'm sure all 4 would move the key/fill within 1-2ft of where they are now = there would be 5 slightly different set ups - comes down to i prefer X and others prefer Y,Z, T, S ...

i would take some light off the tee-shirt .. i would try a butterfly effect using nets ( on key light) .. maybe a single on camera left and a double on camera right ?

I would have moved the key way down, if possible. The shadow on her neck is huge so I know the key was way up. I just don't like the amount of details this kind of keylight reveals (I want women to look smooth and beautiful, don't you?)

Also the background, yet very well lit, looks a little messy to me. I'm not the one to speak up because I hardly ever have time to do a good interview - but if I had shot this one myself I would also be critical about the background (I'm always critical about my own shots, believe me). I guess you just didn't have more time to re-arrange the background... I totally know that.

...and I'd like the key light a few hundred degrees warmer. Maybe put something like a cosmetic rouge or a 1/4 cto on that?

*double post, sorry*

Thank you all for your feedback. I really do appreciate it. I'm always trying to do better on my lighting and the critical feedback really helps. A lot of people I know to ask in person just say, "Looks good to me."

Ralph and Heiko - Thank you for pointing out the shadow under her chin and lip. I didn't see it (or rather pay attention to it) when I set up the shot. I think you're right, moving the key down would have softened that up considerably. I also should've brought the key around a bit closer to the camera to soften her cheekbone shadow some, don't you think?

Brian - Out of context it does look like she is watching something on You Tube! I never thought of that. She is actually an amateur editor and that's one of her projects in the background on an Avid system. Explanation aside, you're right about the clutter. It is a bit too much and some depth of field would help the viewer focus on her. I had room to move the camera back too. Just didn't "see" the issue - too focused on trying to improve my lighting, forgot about other principles.

Don - Butterfly effect? I'm new to that term but I think I understand what you mean. Correct me if I'm wrong - place an ND material on each of the lower corners of the softbox making the top half of a butterfly, using two different strengths of material to make one "wing" lighter than the other. The effect would be to add depth to her shirt by subtly putting a gradation of shadow across her chest. Do I have it?

Heiko - Yes indeed she could be warmer. I completely agree. A carry the Vortex Warm Cards in my kit and tried all of them with her. The problem was that she is soooo pale in life, the warm cards actually had almost no effect at all on her skin tone. By the time they did, the background was completely yellow, like it had been colored with a Crayola. So I shot it using a pure white white balance and decided to up the saturation and warmth in post. This frame grab is of the raw footage, but you are right on the money. The frame is way too cold. In fact, the only thing that I could do to get any color in her face (without taking the time to do a custom preset for her, and I didn't have that time as I am still too inexperienced at that) was to use a Minus Green Card. Boy, did that cool things off in a hurry, but it added a touch of magenta to her skin tone, but in a really creepy, horror movie kind of way. I didn't think of gelling the key light though. I don't know why...

Thank you all again for your input. Please keep it up, some of the best advice I've gotten about video has been from this board, and I truly treasure each piece of advice.

Thank you,
Kevin

"place an ND material on each of the lower corners of the softbox making the top half of a butterfly, using two different strengths of material to make one "wing" lighter than the other"

YES that is the basic effect of it .. because you have a soft box IMO it would be more affective if you use 18x24 or 24x36 nets ( if not nets use as you stated above) .. place on C stands approx 1- 2 1/2 ft in front of you soft box and after both are set they would creat a V - so the left side ( of V) would be a single net and the right side a double net -the space bewteen the 2 lines of the V would be persons face with NO netting so all light would hit her ... the nets would overlap slightly at bottom of the V ... you do not want hard lines so adjust accordingly ( close to light =softer line ) ... too close to light and it will take light off face ( and it's difficut to shape the light because edge is too soft) ...

I now this thread has been dead for quite a while, but I really did/do value the input of the people that have participated here. This post is to steer people to two threads that I've started in the "Show Your Work" section of the board. I was hoping to get some of the same constructive criticism on a couple of pieces that I've edited together. Thanks, and here are the threads:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=100168

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=100110