If you read my last post in the "Problems with Lighting" thread, you will see an example of my original problem. Albeit my second photo is not perfect, I think its an improvement.

I want to thank everyone for the suggestions. I have not yet had a chance to switch my fluorescents over to halogen, but I have rearranged my light setup, I changed to F5.6, ISO 400 as well. So please take a look at my other Basset Hound, Moo Shoo Pork, and if you have any suggestions for improvement (lighting, camera settings, posing, etc), please go for it.

I think it's a fine start, and that you'll find that posing dogs isn't very easy - your bing nimble will be easier, creating a pleasing composition as you can. For general basics with composition, getting the part of the image you want as the draw (in most cases this is the eyes), you'll want them 1/3 of the way in from an edge. There's lots of space you can eat up in Moo Shoo Pork's photo, therefore - get in tight!

The color casts are still there from the mixed lighting, but once you get the color temps the same, that'll even out. Are you shooting in RAW?

thanks for the advice. I am shooting solely in RAW. I do this mainly for adjusting color temperature/white balance and exposure compensation. My pictures always turn out underexposed.

I must admit that posing the dogs is quite a challenge. I have a Remote Shutter Transmitter so that I can walk all around to try to get the doggies to look in the direction I desire. But posing the dog's body is much harder.

Everyone seems to suggest strobe lights or monolights on these forums for studio work. Does anyone out there use continuous output lighting? Can I use flash bounced off the ceiling in conjunction with my halogen lights?

Earline, if you are going to charge for services and be a professional photographer, you need to be able to replicate the results you want.

If you start out too soon as a professional and it doesn't go well, you could get a bad reputation as not producing quality work. Then even when you are excellent at reproducing what you want with surety, that reputation may follow you

Strobes are easier to get professional results. It still isn't easy(as I show often) but much easier than trying to use three different types of lights with three different temperatures.

The old adage of "You have to spend money to make money" applies here. I would check out Alien bees, or possibly ebay for used but GOOD strobes. Careful on the deals that are too good to be true!

Thanks for the tips, Julie. Speaking of strobes.... is one monolight enough to get started? How much "power" ( watt seconds, I guess) is needed for photographing portraits of one or two dogs? When using strobe lighting, can I use ambient light as well? Studio lighting is soooooo confusing to me.

Thanks again.

It is confusing to me too. I am certainly no expert. I bought two alien bee 800's and with a white paper backdrop, that seems to work ok. With any of the colored backdrops, it doesn't.

I think I may go ahead and hurt my wallet just a bit more and do it right. Get one more AB 400 and use it as a backlight.

You could start with two AB 400's as they are inexpensive(for strobes that is!) and very reliable.

It took me MONTHS to decide what to buy. Obviously, I still have a ways to go. I was recommended the book "Light,Science and Magic" and that has been a help.

Don't forget, that Alien Bees are just economical versions of the white lightning. The same strobe power, is half the price. I am sure the white lightnings are made to withstand more abuse. They are all Paul C Buff lights.

For someone like me, who already is having sticker shock, the AB's are easier for my wallet to swallow!

I really wish I had been bold enough to get the pink.....

I don't know how good these are, but, they sure look economical!

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-LIGHT-360-W-S-STRO...1QQcmdZViewItem

Well, I went ahead and bought a two-light strobe setup and a white background. It comes with umbrellas and light stands. It has not yet been delivered, but I am very excited to start playing with it. I am hoping that the white background in conjunction with the strobes will give me much better results.

Its funny, but I am so accustomed to outdoor photography, using fill flash to get rid of shadows or illuminated a very shady area. I used to think that studio lighting was the "easy" way to photograph. Thus far, I can see that I misjudged that one.

I am going to buy the lighting book, after my husband recovers from the recent strobe purchase.