alexwh wrote:
I am quite fascinated by this since I don't have a clue what optimal key fill ratio is. I would like to know. I am a film photographer. When I teach most of my students shoot digital so I would like to know. Assume I am an idiot so explain clearly.

Well, we'll start with key fill ratio, which is the ratio between the key and fill together and the fill alone.  This determines the contrast between the light side of the subject and the darker side.  Optimal is a matter of preference.  Kind of like hi key and low key lighting.  A 1 to 1 ratio would be completely flat.  A 2 to one ratio is somewhat contrasty, pretty standard for portraits.  3 to 1 and 4 to one are kind of moody and contrasty.  Think rembrandt, chiaro scurro (sp???) film noir.  By 5 to one the dark side is going to be black unless you have a film with a very very wide latitude.  Optimal is what you're looking for.  My problem is I either wind up with too little or too much contrast.  I have been metering, but I did get a little lazy and rely too much on the LCD once or twice. . .



I've also shot a lot of film and digital and analog video and I went to film school and worked in the industry for several years, so contact me if you want to discuss this or anything.

alexwh wrote:
I am quite fascinated by this since I don't have a clue what optimal key fill ratio is. I would like to know. I am a film photographer. When I teach most of my students shoot digital so I would like to know. Assume I am an idiot so explain clearly.

Well, we'll start with key fill ratio, which is the ratio between the key and fill together and the fill alone.  This determines the contrast between the light side of the subject and the darker side.  Optimal is a matter of preference.  Kind of like hi key and low key lighting.  A 1 to 1 ratio would be completely flat.  A 2 to one ratio is somewhat contrasty, pretty standard for portraits.  3 to 1 and 4 to one are kind of moody and contrasty.  Think rembrandt, chiaro scurro (sp???) film noir.  By 5 to one the dark side is going to be black unless you have a film with a very very wide latitude.  Optimal is what you're looking for.  My problem is I either wind up with too little or too much contrast.  I have been metering, but I did get a little lazy and rely too much on the LCD once or twice. . .



I've also shot a lot of film and digital and analog video and I went to film school and worked in the industry for several years, so contact me if you want to discuss this or anything.

alexwh wrote:
I am quite fascinated by this since I don't have a clue what optimal key fill ratio is. I would like to know. I am a film photographer. When I teach most of my students shoot digital so I would like to know. Assume I am an idiot so explain clearly.

Well, we'll start with key fill ratio, which is the ratio between the key and fill together and the fill alone.  This determines the contrast between the light side of the subject and the darker side.  Optimal is a matter of preference.  Kind of like hi key and low key lighting.  A 1 to 1 ratio would be completely flat.  A 2 to one ratio is somewhat contrasty, pretty standard for portraits.  3 to 1 and 4 to one are kind of moody and contrasty.  Think rembrandt, chiaro scurro (sp???) film noir.  By 5 to one the dark side is going to be black unless you have a film with a very very wide latitude.  Optimal is what you're looking for.  My problem is I either wind up with too little or too much contrast.  I have been metering, but I did get a little lazy and rely too much on the LCD once or twice. . .



I've also shot a lot of film and digital and analog video and I went to film school and worked in the industry for several years, so contact me if you want to discuss this or anything.

alexwh wrote:
I am quite fascinated by this since I don't have a clue what optimal key fill ratio is. I would like to know. I am a film photographer. When I teach most of my students shoot digital so I would like to know. Assume I am an idiot so explain clearly.

Well, we'll start with key fill ratio, which is the ratio between the key and fill together and the fill alone.  This determines the contrast between the light side of the subject and the darker side.  Optimal is a matter of preference.  Kind of like hi key and low key lighting.  A 1 to 1 ratio would be completely flat.  A 2 to one ratio is somewhat contrasty, pretty standard for portraits.  3 to 1 and 4 to one are kind of moody and contrasty.  Think rembrandt, chiaro scurro (sp???) film noir.  By 5 to one the dark side is going to be black unless you have a film with a very very wide latitude.  Optimal is what you're looking for.  My problem is I either wind up with too little or too much contrast.  I have been metering, but I did get a little lazy and rely too much on the LCD once or twice. . .



I've also shot a lot of film and digital and analog video and I went to film school and worked in the industry for several years, so contact me if you want to discuss this or anything.

alexwh wrote:
I am quite fascinated by this since I don't have a clue what optimal key fill ratio is. I would like to know. I am a film photographer. When I teach most of my students shoot digital so I would like to know. Assume I am an idiot so explain clearly.

Well, we'll start with key fill ratio, which is the ratio between the key and fill together and the fill alone.  This determines the contrast between the light side of the subject and the darker side.  Optimal is a matter of preference.  Kind of like hi key and low key lighting.  A 1 to 1 ratio would be completely flat.  A 2 to one ratio is somewhat contrasty, pretty standard for portraits.  3 to 1 and 4 to one are kind of moody and contrasty.  Think rembrandt, chiaro scurro (sp???) film noir.  By 5 to one the dark side is going to be black unless you have a film with a very very wide latitude.  Optimal is what you're looking for.  My problem is I either wind up with too little or too much contrast.  I have been metering, but I did get a little lazy and rely too much on the LCD once or twice. . .



I've also shot a lot of film and digital and analog video and I went to film school and worked in the industry for several years, so contact me if you want to discuss this or anything.

alexwh wrote:
I am quite fascinated by this since I don't have a clue what optimal key fill ratio is. I would like to know. I am a film photographer. When I teach most of my students shoot digital so I would like to know. Assume I am an idiot so explain clearly.

Oh wait, you meant film as in still photography with film. . .  anyway, the explanation is the same.  I'm also a film photographer, and a very technical one, so you can ask whatever you want.  I am new to digital myself.

BrooklynPhoto wrote:
Well, we'll start with key fill ratio, which is the ratio between the key and fill together and the fill alone.  This determines the contrast between the light side of the subject and the darker side.  Optimal is a matter of preference.  Kind of like hi key and low key lighting.  A 1 to 1 ratio would be completely flat.  A 2 to one ratio is somewhat contrasty, pretty standard for portraits.  3 to 1 and 4 to one are kind of moody and contrasty.  Think rembrandt, chiaro scurro (sp???) film noir.  By 5 to one the dark side is going to be black unless you have a film with a very very wide latitude.  Optimal is what you're looking for.  My problem is I either wind up with too little or too much contrast.  I have been metering, but I did get a little lazy and rely too much on the LCD once or twice. . .

I meter my fill first.  Generally I set it to f3.5.  Then I turn on my main light and reading both lights, I adjust the main until I get f8.  That's about right for most of my shots.  However, I did an entire shoot last week with just a large softbox and no fill.  I liked the result and plan to to another one on Tuesday the same way.

Paul