Dogs from this weekend

I worked Bark in the park this weekend, and though I didn't have a lot of people stop and get their photo taken, I gave out a lot of cards and had a lot of compliments. So, it was worthwhile. I made a little money and a little is ok

Wow Julie, very nice! Tell us again what you are using for your lighting set-up. These are great! The background, lighting, and even your choice for the covering of the posing box is working.

Thanks,
Jeff

It is an extremely simple set up. The main light(alien bee 800 and umbrella bounced) is just barely offset in the front and then I used a softbox(with a cheap strobe I bought as a background light) doing its best to be a hairlight over top of the table.

The covering of the grooming table is a piece of velour material from the sewing store and the backdrop is a 10x16 canvas.

I have been deciding what direction to take for lighting. I would like a very portable set-up.

Have you discovered www.strobist.com yet? Great site for very simple portable lighting using off-camera strobes.

Portable is one thing, recycle time is another. You can do amazing things with Nikon speedlights, I have seen a video that just blew me away.

My AB's, recycle almost immediately. If I accidently leave it on motor drive, they will fire twice.

But, really, I don't know enough about speedlights to say if they are better or easier than strobes. An Alien bee costs less than a speedlight, so, you just have to decide what it is you want to do.

Hi Julie

Your images are great. Just a couple of suggestions. Since your muslin is so big have you thought of draping it over the box or stand that you sit the dogs. It would make a more seamless background.
Also have you thought of putting the background light on the ground behind the dogs pointing up. I would just guess that your MAIN would be enough of a hairlight by itself. Mine has a slave built in so is triggered by the Main. Just some thoughts.
www.bsvirginian.smugmug.com

It is a canvas, and it would not be comfortable for the dogs to be on. I really don't want them on it unless necessary(ie; the large dogs on the ground) It does scratch.

I don't want the backdrop lightened anymore. I do use a background light on some backdrops, but this one has a hot spot that really doesn't need more light on it. It washes it out more than I like.

My lights do all fire at the same time, so, that is not a big deal. This is just my easy, generic setup for whatever comes my way in a portrait day.

I use the softbox just to give a bit of seperation and eveness to the side.

The main is set at about 6:30-7 o'clock and the hair light is set at about 3 o'clock, and up high. It is set fairly low as to not blow out whites

These are great Julie. Nice and sharp and good lighting.

Interesting light set up too, how do you suspend the overhead strobe? After last weekend I can see how a hair light would be good sometimes to separate a dog from a background of nearly the same color.

Love the sheltie and papillon who is doing his darndest to look like a sheltie puppy lol. Pug is too cute too. I notice no catch lights in the top sheltie's eyes, do you ever artificially put them in? I have done that a couple of times but wondered if that was considered ok to do.

These are gorgeous!

If I had my tent, I would hang it from the top, but, when I don't, I just jack up my light stand reallly high and point it down. Sounds really technical doesn't it

The lighting is really really basic. Fairly flat and even. I need more work to get really interesting lighting