You prefer #4 with no flash to #4 with flash but you haven't tried to
duplicate the lighting. You have different angles and harsher shadows
in the flash shot. You need more diffusion and/or stronger fill. I
would suggest 1/2 stop rather than the 1 stop you're using. Move the 1
stop ND filtered flash back to drop its brightness.
I'd also suggest a paper or cloth backdrop passing underneath the dolls
so there isn't the color/texture change from "floor" to "wall" in your
setup. Also run the backdrop way back behind the dolls before bringing
it up so there aren't strong shadows cast on the backdrop or (more
difficult) use a backlight on the backdrop to cut the shadows.
Dr. Flash
On 3/6/2014 8:07 AM, DZDub wrote:
> With cabin fever raging last weekend, I decided to photograph some of my
> wife's Japanese dolls. She doesn't really collect them but her mother
> passed them to her at some point. There are also some kokeishi dolls (wood
> figures) that a friend of mine gave us when she was cleaning out her
> parents' things -- souvenirs from a trip to Japan.
>
> Equipment: E-5 with Leica D 14-150, two T32s with Olympus dedicated ND
> filters.
>
> Setup: pretty simple. flashes equidistant from subject, flash on the
> right the main light, fill ratio (1 stop) controlled by the ND filter
> difference. The flashes were not tethered. The main light was actually a
> slave (but I could have easily done it the other way around). The fill
> light was off-camera, connected to the shoe with a shoe cord.
>
> Variants: there is one lit entirely by north window light and no flash.
> The large kokeishi group is ambient lighting with bounced fill (off the
> ceiling).
>
> Personally, my favorite is the one without flash. :( The setup seems
> pretty easy and effective to me, but controlling background is a
> challenge. I used colored foam boards about half the time, which then
> makes shadows a factor. This one and to the right:
>
> http://zone-10.com/tope2/main.php?g2_itemId=11692
>
> C & C welcome. TIA.
>
> Joel W.
>
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