Hair Lights

[GreggH]

I am very new to portrait photography and can use all the help I can get. Your help is appreciated. What is the best or your favorite ways to control the light for a hair light? Snoot, grid, etc.

Thanks,

Gregg

[jtsmith]

I found the best way to illuminate hair is with a very small soft box. It seperates hair and shoulders from a background in a nice way of even distribution. It's more forgiving with more even illumination.

A x-small or small litedome from photoflex works really well.

Usually I will place this directly above the subject at an approximate 75 degree angle to the subject...this small soft box is controled easily from light spilling into a lense, and again, is controled easily and less confined.

Louvers on soft boxes also work well. The Louvers mask narrows the angle of the light and makes a medium sized soft box, excellent light modifiers for hair light. A larger soft box for hair light can be cumbersome.

Grids and snoots work well but the light is even more directional and I find angle of reflection to give more hot spots in hair then using a softer light source.

J T

[stevenD]

I use a small 10 or 20 dregeee Grid, but I am wanting to get a small Soft Box for the exact reasons listed by JT...

[GreggH]

Thank you both. I knew about the grids but hadn't thought about a small softbox. I wasn't sure if you focus it that well. I understand the idea of getting it up high and at the right angle. I'll try it. Besides I like to buy equipment that has more than one use and the softbox will come in handy for other things.

Gregg

[jimmyd]

jt-- if you keep sharing all your great knowledge (like you've been doing even more so lately on various threads), no one's gonna need to attend your workshops!

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[jtsmith]

Text and text books are one thing......learning in an actual environment, is another....henceforth, Supershoots.com :-)

I am actually loving the participation on GG as of late...I love to see those who "want to get it" That's my passion anyway.....

J T

[CaptainKen]

Jt
I always like your advice to others and you may see me at one of your events. It all depends on the city and my days off from work. Knowing and doing really are very different. What better way to practice than with one of this forums masters. I might even shave my head if it would make me as good as you, not much up there anyway. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]Jimmy your no hack either, I could name more but then I'd sound like a suck up.
Ken

[R_Fredrick_Smith]

What I have used for years that works like a charm is something I learned from Dean Collins many years ago from his Tinkertube book (page 19). Here is a link to the book (it is a slow loading pdf file):

Tinkertube Book Link

Essentially it is a large flat panel about the width of your background stand tilted at a 45) angle down toward the center of surface in front of the background. The lights are behind it shooting through it. So you can't miss, it gives beautiful hair and seperation light and it is above and in back of the subject. Need a tall ceiling however. You'll have to see the book to get the full idea.

Cheers,
rfs