# How to make kids with books pictures more interesting?



## magarity (Oct 15, 2017)

I volunteer at my daughter's elementary school for a program they have where if a child reads enough books they get their picture taken with their favorite. Someone else photoshops a theme background to them so I have to use the basic white background of the projector screen. The librarian has them printed and puts them up around the wall of the library. I take the pictures as a basic high key using two bounce umbrellas at 45 degrees in front of the child. It makes the librarian happy but I think they're kind of boring.
While keeping the brightness up what's a more interesting way to arrange either a pair of umbrellas or one umbrella and one Apollo Orb for this kind of subject? (I have a pair of 430EX iii's so I can't use all 3 mods) Another requirement is that light has hit the projector screen so the photoshopper (another volunteer) has an easy job of putting in the backgrounds. I do this now with a cheap no-name flash with its optical trigger.


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## MrFotoFool (Dec 6, 2017)

Sorry no one replied previously. I think you need to keep the lighting even as you are now in order to keep the backdrop evenly lit for the Photoshop drop-in. The easy way to make it more dramatic is to move one flash farther back (or lower the output where it is) to make the child's face more distinct, but this will also make the background darker on one side. Unless you are willing to use a third light for the background only, I think it is best to keep doing what you are doing. Considering how the photos are used, I am sure the children and librarian are very happy with the results.


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## unfocused (Dec 6, 2017)

MrFotoFool said:


> ...I think it is best to keep doing what you are doing. Considering how the photos are used, I am sure the children and librarian are very happy with the results.



Exactly.


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## bhf3737 (Dec 7, 2017)

I don't know if this helps but i usually try to first lit the white background evenly using two soft boxes and then lit the subject evenly with one stop less light either with two flashes or two led lights. If space allows i try to sit the subject a bit away from the background to avoid light spilling. Again if space allows, using natural side window light for subject's face can produce some interesting results.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Dec 8, 2017)

The photograph is about the child, so take care to get the eyes just right, that's 90% of a portrait, now and forever, the photo will be about the child.


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## magarity (Jan 25, 2018)

Thanks for the tips!
I set the umbrellas at different distances and used a flashbender on the background flash to help direct it. I think they came out better than last year.
Here is what it looked like set up: https://1drv.ms/i/s!AvVi1h0SWOoshIcb9_2BCzREY55Caw
My child was in this batch today: https://1drv.ms/i/s!AvVi1h0SWOoshIcacFU3ForQc_kqiA
My other one from last year where I didn't do so well and after the photoshopper finished with it: https://1drv.ms/i/s!AvVi1h0SWOoshIccViaa2MMEC32nwg


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## Ozarker (Mar 2, 2018)

magarity said:


> Thanks for the tips!
> I set the umbrellas at different distances and used a flashbender on the background flash to help direct it. I think they came out better than last year.
> Here is what it looked like set up: https://1drv.ms/i/s!AvVi1h0SWOoshIcb9_2BCzREY55Caw
> My child was in this batch today: https://1drv.ms/i/s!AvVi1h0SWOoshIcacFU3ForQc_kqiA
> My other one from last year where I didn't do so well and after the photoshopper finished with it: https://1drv.ms/i/s!AvVi1h0SWOoshIccViaa2MMEC32nwg



Neat! I think they could lose the backdrop and just put "read" on the white backdrop. Very nice job this year!


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