Best camera setting for studio light setup

[kermitscm]

Ok I'm still very new to photography and I don't have the best memory so retaining all I learn is difficult unless I do them often so bare with me on this, I'm not a complete idiot, I swear. Hubby bought me a very nice studio light set with background muslims and background stands. We figured out how to set them up and use the flash remote to make them flash when I take the picture but I haven't had one successful picture yet while using them. I have a canon rebel XTI with a 28-300 lens. I've tried the auto setting, the auto portrait setting and even the manual p setting and I either get completely washed out, completely dark or most pics are light on top but dark on bottom. I again learn by doing so I've patiently tried changing ISO's, apperture, AEB's you name it and still no luck. Can someone please help before I kill my husband for buying me something I can't seem to figure out!
Shanna

[Whiplash-GT]

"square perfect" by any chance?
i just got this rig about a month ago so i'm pretty new still too, but i'll see if some things i do might help

i use full manual
iso 100 (just cuz i like it)
i'll start around f11 and 1/125 of a second
too dark? speed it up a stop or two, say f5.6 (i like to make that about as wide as i go due to dof), try again

between aperature and speed adjustments i'll come across what works "primarily" in 5 shots or so, then i'll adjust the strobes to give me the lighting effect i'm after, maybe re-adjust once more after another test shot and i'm pretty much good to go

hopefully this helped out, but again, at strobism i'm quite the newbie still

[Edmund]

Hi Shanna, Why don't you post one of your shots so we can see what you did.
Eddie

[lexcell]

Hi Shanna,

Whiplash has given you an excellent starting point. Start with his settings and work your way through the situation from there. Stay in manual mode at around 1/60 to /125 at around 5.6 or 8 and adjust your lights to make the exposure look good. Use the power ratio rather than moving the lights because you want the lights close to your subject to get a nice soft light.

There is an incredible tutorial on www.kelbytraining.com by Joe McNally where he goes all through lighting setup, camera settings, light modifiers, etc. You can view the first couple of segments free. This really is a must see for anyone wanting to learn more about studio lighting!

I have to say that Joe is one of the best in the business when it comes to lighting and he brings it home in this video tutorial.

What's really cool about it is the process he goes through getting to the end result. He begins with one light and builds from there.