I am looking for any lighting tips (amateur photography) for shooting clothing on models?

Question

I am just starting in Photography and one area i am trying out is fashion photography for catalogues and publication. I am not schooled in lighting and would like to find out tips and tricks on how to get good all round light and eliminate shadows on the photos. Sometime I will be shooting outdoors and sometimes on location.

Answer 1

The thing with fashion photography is to blast the models with light. That usually consists of two highpowered lights, one on each side of the model about 45 degrees between them and you.

Feather the lights across the face to blow out any shadows. The lights should be at roughly a 30 degree angle from their forehead (imagine there is a perpendicular line coming out of their head and one creating a plane at their forehead... the 30 degrees is between those two lines).

This will create a nice high cheekbone feel on the models and eliminate harsh shadows on the clothes while still proving a somewhat depth of field to whatever appearel they are wearing.

You can also add a fill light (an umbrella light) directly to the side of you (about an arms lenght) that is 1 - 1 1/2 stops lower than the two main lights. This will eliminate all shadows on the clothing and provide a flat, but well lit product.

Answer 2

This is the best photography course online:

http://photography-course.info

You can be like the masses of humanity and buy a camera you can afford that has auto this and that for worry free picture taking. And learn through trial and error how to use something like aperture or shutter priority auto modes or even attempt to use the thing on full manual mode.
You seem to know already there is some thinking to using a camera and to take pictures. A good place to start is by reading the owners manual that comes with a camera. Read the information and look at the illustrations with part names and look at the real camera. Handle the camera and take pictures. Let me rephrase that. Take pictures to learn how to use the camera and maybe even to keep some. Don't start with important stuff you cannot photograph over again such as birthdays, a toddlers first steps. That puts picture taking out of the learning phase and puts the pressure and emphasis to taking pictures for real and to keep.
These first pictures are for you to learn how to use your camera. And you have learned how to use your camera when you can take pictures with it and can teach others how to use it. Honest. You can also go to a college in your area and take a beginning photography course. There you will be taught the basics even a pro must learn and do in their work. Camera handling and use, taking exposures with film and/or digital cameras, and maybe even some photo assignments to get some real time learning. In this learning do not take serious pictures you must keep as that detracts from the learning aspect of the class. Do so only if you have mastered the use of your camera before class is over.
It's like growing up in a way. And I am happy you know there is a way to learn how to use a camera and take pictures. It's like learning how to drive I suppose. Someone can teach you or you can get taught at a driving school. Both will get you a drivers liscense. One though will really teach you the fundamentals you can use for the rest of your driving career.

Answer 3

Good Tips
http://www.photo.net/learn/studio/primer

You can also use a gray card. If you don't know about that..go here
http://home.nc.rr.com/tspadaro/The_Grey_Card.html
or here
http://www.acecam.com/magazine/gray-card.html