Need more help (portraits)

I was testing my "lighting" equipment on a friend's kids. The pictures of them all in red have a red cast on their face. How do I prevent that? The shots of them not in red don't have them all looking sunburned.

The lighting overall didn't go as well as I'd hoped (the clamps don't clamp well at all) So I'm still on the look out for something that will work.

Here is one of the 'red' pictures.

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/5293/ccf11112005000049sm.th.jpg (http://img196.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ccf11112005000049sm.jpg)

I know they have other faults as well, but this was the first time I've ever shot using a backdrop/lights outside of the classroom where we had help.

As for my second question, how do I get kids to open their eyes? The youngest would squint everytime he looked at me (even if it wasn't into the sun) I got a few with his eyes more open by having him not look at me. Is there some trick I don't know to get kids to open their eyes?

This was the session from my worst nightmare if you remember my post from a week or so ago, and I think the pictures reflect that :( I think this is my worst batch of pictures yet. Anyways, here is the little boy (pose was at Mom's request--I'm not overly fond of it)

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/6236/ccf11112005000011go.th.jpg (http://img472.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ccf11112005000011go.jpg)

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/3664/ccf11112005000003bq.th.jpg (http://img485.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ccf11112005000003bq.jpg)

These aren't the best out of the session, but I'm posting to learn not to show off.

Ok, so maybe his eyes aren't that bad in that one, but most of them you can't see any 'eye' at all, just dark.

The red cast comes from the white balance. What is the tech info for these? camera, settings, etc.

To get kids eyes open, I find engaging them in conversation gets their attention away from the anticipation of the lights going off (hence the squint) and makes a much more natural portrait.

Once I see your tech info, perhaps I can help you with your color and white balance.

Isn't white balance only on digital cameras?

I don't remember what the settings were, but my camera is a Canon Rebel 35 mm.

Pictures taken with the exact same shutter/aperture were fine if they weren't wearing red.

ah, yes ~ wb is on digital. I'm new here, so I am not familiar with what camera you use and did not see it in your first post here.

If you use a reflector, it can help lift out some of the color cast you are seeing here. Did you use one?

The red cast is caused by the tungsten light you used. The color temperature of tungsten light is around 3200 degrees Kelvin. You used 'daylight' balanced film which is manufactured for exposure under daylight or flash which has a color balance of 5500 degrees K. You can buy a blue filter that will balance the tungsten light so you can use daylight film, but you will lose about 2 stops, something you most likely cannot afford. Tungsten balanced 35mm film is made (at least it used to be made) check with you local camera shop. The squinting is caused by the bright lights. they are bright, and hot. two things that are not good around children. Three or four electronic flash units will solve your problems. They are daylight balanced, powerful so you can stop the aperture down for good DOF, and the modeling lights in them are not real bright so no one will squint.

The darkness in the eyesockets (raccoon eyes) in the outdoor shots is caused by shadows created by the overhead light. The light should come from the side, not from above.

Benji3

I didn't use tungsten lights

Ok, now I have 2 hands back. I didn't use tungsten lights, and I have a filter for them when I do. They give off a yellow tint, not red.

Besides, if it was the lights wouldn't all of the shots of the same session with the exact same settings have the same tint? The only ones that are red are the ones when they were all dressed in red and holding red/orange stuffed animals.

I knew what caused the shadows in the eyes, that wasn't the problem. Whether indoor/outdoor/shade/reflector whatever, the little one squished up his entire face if he was looking at the camera.

Mom reminded me that this one I shot as he turning his head, not holding still looking at me. I'm at school so I don't have access to a squished up face/closed eye one.

Michar,

You said "the clamps don't clamp well at all" so what kind of lights are they if they are not tungsten clamp on lights?

Benji3

Daylight natural lights.

The bases are clamp lights, but I didn't put in standard bulbs.

What are "Daylight natural lights". Are they special bulbs found at a photographic supply house or camera store or are they the manufacturers name for a particular bulb?

Benji3

daylight/natural lights was my wording. I don't know the manufacture or the exact brand.

They were for photography/film. I do know the basics of lighting and the difference between bulbs. I also don't think it's my lights or the entire session would have turned out with similar colors, not just the ones when they all had red shirts on.

Thanks for trying to help me though.