[Garth Herrick]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your good thoughts. The color is supposed to be identical on the subject between the two versions. You are right that the subject advances more with the darker background. While the lighting is slightly complex, if you look at the highlight position on the forehead, he really is way more side lit rather than top lit. The lights were slightly above him at seven feet, and definitely obliquely from the side. It would have been nice to have been able to power down the secondary fill light even more, were it possible. Without it however, we would be in effect looking at a phase of the moon! The one time it did not fire, it was horrible looking with just the main light.

I can't shoot again, but if I could, perhaps I'd stop down the aperture even more and add more power to the principal light. As I said, the secondary light was at its lowest setting already.

Thanks again,

Garth