[Benji]

Kelly,

My suggestions.

1. Shoot raw.

2. Take accurate meter readings (make sure the meter is calibrated. Here is how to do it.)* Take an 18% gray card and clip it to a stand (or prop it up in a chair) then take one studio flash unit at about a 20 degree angle to the card and take a meter reading by holding the meter just above the center of the card with the dome level with the edge of the card and pointed directly at the light source. Fire the flash and (after making sure your camera and the meter are both at the exact same ISO) set that reading into the camera aperture.* Fill the frame with the gray card (you might have to manually focus) and make the exposure (Jpeg setting.)* Load the image into Photoshop and click on "Window" then "Histogram."* There will only be one spike and it should be dead center in the box. If not, your meter and camera are not calibrated.* If you need to calibrate your meter there is a small dial inside the battery compartment On a Minolta anyway.)* Simply take a small flat bladed screwdriver and turn the screw to either + or - depending on whether the spike is to the right or left of center.* Redo the test several times until the spike is centered.* On other meters I would check with you manual.

3. Shoot a zebra card or gray card first thing.* This will give you perfect white balance and exposure.

4. The main must be more powerful than the fill light (by about two stops or so.)* *You have the fill more powerful than the main right now (based on your above statements.)* Set the camera aperture at the main light reading whether you are using a fill light or a fill light.

5 Pose the subject and light him or her as you desire. Take you meter reading of the main light and set that in your camera.* Take the exposures then load them into Adobe Camera Raw.*

Benji