The GetDPI Photography Forum
Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!
OK, enough with the equipment, lets see some lighting!
- Thread starter Ben Rubinstein
- Start date
Giorgio
Member
On quite possibly the hotest day of the year in North Haven, Sag Harbor, NY. The sun was a monster all I could do was fill a little. But this one proves the old adage, F8 and Be There!
Let me walk into a scene like this every-time, shoot took 7 minutes (yes I looked at my watch). Hello, goodbye...
Let me walk into a scene like this every-time, shoot took 7 minutes (yes I looked at my watch). Hello, goodbye...
Giorgio
Member
Bewitched by Two!
Another day of shooting an at home with profile. We were breaking the set packing up the gear and I was going to shoot some exteriors. Our scheduled time to pack up and leave fast approaching.
Then I saw the hammock. Would you believe this was flash on camera, me standing between the sliding doors and the subject just outside of the house.
Another day of shooting an at home with profile. We were breaking the set packing up the gear and I was going to shoot some exteriors. Our scheduled time to pack up and leave fast approaching.
Then I saw the hammock. Would you believe this was flash on camera, me standing between the sliding doors and the subject just outside of the house.
grrr. just lost my whole post...
thought I'd share: a portrait of a UN worker, shot in eastern Congo by the lake,
during stormy weather.
P45 on RZ ProIID
AcuteB2 at max power on a 27in Deep Octa covered up as main light.
Ranger head at full power on standard reflector with yellow gel for back.
thanks for all I'm getting from this forum...
thought I'd share: a portrait of a UN worker, shot in eastern Congo by the lake,
during stormy weather.
P45 on RZ ProIID
AcuteB2 at max power on a 27in Deep Octa covered up as main light.
Ranger head at full power on standard reflector with yellow gel for back.
thanks for all I'm getting from this forum...
ha ha rem - many thanks.
I suppose I still feel old-school about all these,
y'know, the idea that it should be either on a wall or by turning pages in a book.
bu then again, I have picked up more than a few really helpful tips/solutions
from people showing their work here.
thanks again, and best regards
PS for more, I'm at www.ocarlo.com
I suppose I still feel old-school about all these,
y'know, the idea that it should be either on a wall or by turning pages in a book.
bu then again, I have picked up more than a few really helpful tips/solutions
from people showing their work here.
thanks again, and best regards
PS for more, I'm at www.ocarlo.com
Giorgio
Member
Ok here is the story, I had a wonderful, bright, energetic, and industrious intern from Italy for a few months. A very intelligent person.
This person though that my insistence on the use of a lens hood was silly. I explained that even the best lenses can flare and unless that's the look you want. That's what you risk without the proper use of a lens hood.
Below are two images from our last shoot together.
I used a large strip light (6ft) to the left of camera and a foam core white 4x8 to the right of the subject for fill. I used one light as the top light to hit the backdrop and the subject from above. Top light was one full stop above the main (large strip). 2 lights total, that"s it.
In the first photo the camera was shot from about 10 feet to subject, from about 3 1/2 feet above the floor.
The second photo the camera was shot from about 3 feet to subject from about 5 1/2 feet above the floor. Guess what happened?
Camera lens was properly hooded for both frames.
Don't misunderstand sometimes I flare intentionally just like a zillion other folks, I just want to know when and if it's happening. Call me a control freak...
This person though that my insistence on the use of a lens hood was silly. I explained that even the best lenses can flare and unless that's the look you want. That's what you risk without the proper use of a lens hood.
Below are two images from our last shoot together.
I used a large strip light (6ft) to the left of camera and a foam core white 4x8 to the right of the subject for fill. I used one light as the top light to hit the backdrop and the subject from above. Top light was one full stop above the main (large strip). 2 lights total, that"s it.
In the first photo the camera was shot from about 10 feet to subject, from about 3 1/2 feet above the floor.
The second photo the camera was shot from about 3 feet to subject from about 5 1/2 feet above the floor. Guess what happened?
Camera lens was properly hooded for both frames.
Don't misunderstand sometimes I flare intentionally just like a zillion other folks, I just want to know when and if it's happening. Call me a control freak...
S
Shelby Lewis
Guest
Here's one using a single Paul Buff Einstein 640 powered by a Vagabond Mini Lithium battery pack... big silver umbrella camera right.
Chair is lit mostly by bright ambient coming through the perforated wall panel to the left... and the whole scene was metered such that the far background (cloudy, but 2pm in the afternoon) would be underexposed so as balance with the shaded/lit foreground.
and this is what the scene looked like in reality (rearranged a bit in the actual photo).. the reflector was on stand-by and not part of the lighting scheme :
and the opposite view:
Cheers!
Shelby
Chair is lit mostly by bright ambient coming through the perforated wall panel to the left... and the whole scene was metered such that the far background (cloudy, but 2pm in the afternoon) would be underexposed so as balance with the shaded/lit foreground.
and this is what the scene looked like in reality (rearranged a bit in the actual photo).. the reflector was on stand-by and not part of the lighting scheme :
and the opposite view:
Cheers!
Shelby
Nice to see the direction you are moving in Shelby. I saw these in the MFD section and appreciated reading the sensitive nature of the back-story regarding the series of your kids. Very brave of you to address this subject with your art.
While totally subjective, the one posted here feels a bit harsh on the drop off from subject area to background. Not much, but just a bit. It would have been a little more natural looking of a drop off if feathered just a touch more while still maintaining the background ambient darks to lights IMO.
I noted where the monolight was set in relation to the umbrella that looks to be in tighter, which tends to concentrate the beam more and harden the fall off. It is hard to tell from your "behind the scenes" shot whether the umbrella shaft still has room to move or not. Moving the umbrella out just a bit more would feather the drop-off in a more natural manner ... or if it is out all the way already, you could slightly angle the direction of the umbrella ... modifiers do not have to be aimed directly at the subject.
Anyway, small comments, but this is the lighting forum where small stuff counts
-Marc
While totally subjective, the one posted here feels a bit harsh on the drop off from subject area to background. Not much, but just a bit. It would have been a little more natural looking of a drop off if feathered just a touch more while still maintaining the background ambient darks to lights IMO.
I noted where the monolight was set in relation to the umbrella that looks to be in tighter, which tends to concentrate the beam more and harden the fall off. It is hard to tell from your "behind the scenes" shot whether the umbrella shaft still has room to move or not. Moving the umbrella out just a bit more would feather the drop-off in a more natural manner ... or if it is out all the way already, you could slightly angle the direction of the umbrella ... modifiers do not have to be aimed directly at the subject.
Anyway, small comments, but this is the lighting forum where small stuff counts
-Marc
Here are a few examples of a recent session with a body builder that was commissioned by his trainer/advisor for poster sized reproductions.
I also made a Leica S2P poster for myself ...
As usual, I pre-planned out various shots I wanted to try, and had background, lights, boom-arms and modifiers needed ready to go
because these guys can only hold the maximum pose for so long and repeating it frequently yields diminishing returns.
The objective was to use very directional, more specular light as opposed to larger and softer light quality ... this was done to POP the muscles and provide a more defined and chiseled nature to the renderings.
The bicep flex was shot with a single, camera-right Mola 33.5" Beamm beauty dish which has a polished, almost mirrored reflective surface that produces a very specular light quality. Profoto D4/2400 box was used, and a few different levels of adjustment tried until the right level was obvious.
The symmetrical shot of the back was a single 6' Profoto strip light with a 4" Profoto mask mounted to a boom arm directly over-head and ever so slightly positioned toward the camera to spill directional light down his back.
Camera was a Leica S2 tethered to the computer so the trainer could evaluate whether the subject had produced the most defined flex for each different pose. We did about 12 poses.
-Marc
I also made a Leica S2P poster for myself ...
As usual, I pre-planned out various shots I wanted to try, and had background, lights, boom-arms and modifiers needed ready to go
because these guys can only hold the maximum pose for so long and repeating it frequently yields diminishing returns.
The objective was to use very directional, more specular light as opposed to larger and softer light quality ... this was done to POP the muscles and provide a more defined and chiseled nature to the renderings.
The bicep flex was shot with a single, camera-right Mola 33.5" Beamm beauty dish which has a polished, almost mirrored reflective surface that produces a very specular light quality. Profoto D4/2400 box was used, and a few different levels of adjustment tried until the right level was obvious.
The symmetrical shot of the back was a single 6' Profoto strip light with a 4" Profoto mask mounted to a boom arm directly over-head and ever so slightly positioned toward the camera to spill directional light down his back.
Camera was a Leica S2 tethered to the computer so the trainer could evaluate whether the subject had produced the most defined flex for each different pose. We did about 12 poses.
-Marc
S
Shelby Lewis
Guest
You've got some keen eyes there, Marc... I need to get you to help me focus. The umbrella comment I find especially helpful and astute... I, indeed, left the shaft extension at home and had the umbrella out almost as far as it could go but thought "it'll be alright".
You're comment really brings it all back to reality in that the small stuff really makes a big difference with certain modifiers. Thanks! I also wish I'd opened up the ambient a tad by lengthening the shutter speed a half stop or so... could have "fixed" that in post, but decided to try and work more closely with what I actually captured.
I tried for soft, but with a bit more sparkle and contrast... and was aiming for something between what I got and this shot (which was with a softbox and a more balanced ambient/strobe ratio)
I'll keep on working at it...
Thanks for the keen comments and taking the time for meaningful critique. Much appreciated!
Shelby
The umbrella comment I find especially helpful and astute... I, indeed, left the shaft extension at home and had the umbrella out almost as far as it could go but thought "it'll be alright".You're comment really brings it all back to reality in that the small stuff really makes a big difference with certain modifiers. Thanks! I also wish I'd opened up the ambient a tad by lengthening the shutter speed a half stop or so... could have "fixed" that in post, but decided to try and work more closely with what I actually captured.
I tried for soft, but with a bit more sparkle and contrast... and was aiming for something between what I got and this shot (which was with a softbox and a more balanced ambient/strobe ratio)
I'll keep on working at it...
Thanks for the keen comments and taking the time for meaningful critique. Much appreciated!
Shelby
While totally subjective, the one posted here feels a bit harsh on the drop off from subject area to background. Not much, but just a bit. It would have been a little more natural looking of a drop off if feathered just a touch more while still maintaining the background ambient darks to lights IMO.
I noted where the monolight was set in relation to the umbrella that looks to be in tighter, which tends to concentrate the beam more and harden the fall off. It is hard to tell from your "behind the scenes" shot whether the umbrella shaft still has room to move or not. Moving the umbrella out just a bit more would feather the drop-off in a more natural manner ... or if it is out all the way already, you could slightly angle the direction of the umbrella ... modifiers do not have to be aimed directly at the subject.
Anyway, small comments, but this is the lighting forum where small stuff counts
-Marc
S
Shelby Lewis
Guest
Other than the designer in me not liking the choice of fontHere are a few examples of a recent session with a body builder that was commissioned by his trainer/advisor for poster sized reproductions.
I also made a Leica S2P poster for myself ...
... these are fantastic. I really can't critique them in any measurable sense as far as lighting. The composition and musculature are so nicely defined. (I do find the color treatment of the first one leaves his ear looking a bit strange, color-wise, but man am I nit-picking here... and in a subject sense.)
Nicely refined work, Marc.
Shelby
Good catch on the ear Shelby ... I went in and fixed that. I did 3 versions, one warmer mono, one cooler mono, and one full color.Other than the designer in me not liking the choice of font
(I do find the color treatment of the first one leaves his ear looking a bit strange, color-wise, but man am I nit-picking here... and in a subject sense.)
Nicely refined work, Marc.
Shelby
Fonts are totally subjective huh? Another designer thought it was perfect. What's a mother to do? None of the images were provided with type to the client anyway ... they are getting printed 40 X 60 for a work-out area.
Thanks, lets keep 'em coming!
-Marc
I git two, one whir
What is interesting as you delve into lighting control is how you can alter images by light placement and the creation of shadows ... which takes open experimentation without fear of failure ... failure with digital is just a delete button away, which makes it a heck of a lot more fun and instructional than it was with film
For example, I would have been overwhelmingly compelled to try placing the light outside the slatted wall camera left just to see what the effect would be, and then placed the subject so the shadows would fall just right ... maybe needing some fill to vary the degree of shadow depth. Probably not your original intent ... then again it may have increased the emotional impact.
What kind of umbrella is that? Perhaps of interest to you are the new Westcott Parabolics which are 7', have white fiberglass ribs and being a Parabolic configuration allow more effective control of the beam width by sliding the light closer or further from the umbrella surface. Only $99. which is unbelievablely inexpensive considering the "real" Parabolics are like $10K! I got two, one white and the other silver for fast wedding set-ups with my Quadra.
-Marc
This one is better don't you think? Maybe a 1/2 stop more ambient like you said, but a bit better than the one of your boy. Again, they are all nice.You've got some keen eyes there, Marc... I need to get you to help me focus.
You're comment really brings it all back to reality in that the small stuff really makes a big difference with certain modifiers. Thanks! I also wish I'd opened up the ambient a tad by lengthening the shutter speed a half stop or so... could have "fixed" that in post, but decided to try and work more closely with what I actually captured.
I tried for soft, but with a bit more sparkle and contrast... and was aiming for something between what I got and this shot (which was with a softbox and a more balanced ambient/strobe ratio)
I'll keep on working at it...
Thanks for the keen comments and taking the time for meaningful critique. Much appreciated!
Shelby
What is interesting as you delve into lighting control is how you can alter images by light placement and the creation of shadows ... which takes open experimentation without fear of failure ... failure with digital is just a delete button away, which makes it a heck of a lot more fun and instructional than it was with film
For example, I would have been overwhelmingly compelled to try placing the light outside the slatted wall camera left just to see what the effect would be, and then placed the subject so the shadows would fall just right ... maybe needing some fill to vary the degree of shadow depth. Probably not your original intent ... then again it may have increased the emotional impact.
What kind of umbrella is that? Perhaps of interest to you are the new Westcott Parabolics which are 7', have white fiberglass ribs and being a Parabolic configuration allow more effective control of the beam width by sliding the light closer or further from the umbrella surface. Only $99. which is unbelievablely inexpensive considering the "real" Parabolics are like $10K! I got two, one white and the other silver for fast wedding set-ups with my Quadra.
-Marc
S
Shelby Lewis
Guest
Re: I git two, one whir
Much appreciated. The same thoughts had crossed my mind, but, alas the other side of that wall was a three-story drop so putting a light there was an impossibility with my particular gear that day. Those trees in the far background are tree-tops as we were on the third floor of the student union building here on the LSU campus.
The umbrella is actually the big photek softlighter II without the diffuser. I've been looking at both the Westcott and the Paul Buff parabolics. They are next on my list. I'm especially interested in using the big white parabolic as a shoot-through for uber-soft headshot light for ladies. Buff (and maybe Westcott) has a black spill-killer for the back so you get a bit more efficiency when you use is as a shoot through (a sort of Chinese lantern).
http://paulcbuff.com/bfspkf.php
Finals week ends friday... and I'm gonna get out and shoot a lot in the next 4-5 weeks. Time for some experimentation for sure.
-Shelby
Ah... great thoughts again.
Much appreciated. The same thoughts had crossed my mind, but, alas the other side of that wall was a three-story drop so putting a light there was an impossibility with my particular gear that day. Those trees in the far background are tree-tops as we were on the third floor of the student union building here on the LSU campus.
The umbrella is actually the big photek softlighter II without the diffuser. I've been looking at both the Westcott and the Paul Buff parabolics. They are next on my list. I'm especially interested in using the big white parabolic as a shoot-through for uber-soft headshot light for ladies. Buff (and maybe Westcott) has a black spill-killer for the back so you get a bit more efficiency when you use is as a shoot through (a sort of Chinese lantern).
http://paulcbuff.com/bfspkf.php
Finals week ends friday... and I'm gonna get out and shoot a lot in the next 4-5 weeks. Time for some experimentation for sure.
-Shelby
L
Landshark
Guest
This is a shot I did last year it is 4 light set up, all Profoto strobes, the key is a Fresnel Spot, the left kick is s gridded strip box, the background is a gridded head, and the highlight from the right is an open soft box with out diffusion
Last edited:
L
Landshark
Guest
O n the second shot you moved the overheads placement and angle, so you are flaring because you moved it more into the lens path. you can see the difference in light on the model shoulder
Nice shot ... very sophisticated. Wish I could see a larger version.This is a shot I did last year it is 4 light set up, all Profoto strobes, the key is a Fresnel Spot, the left kick is s gridded strip box, the background is a gridded head, and the highlight from the right is an open soft box with out diffusion
If you get a minute, could you diagram the light placement? ... I can't figure out where the Fresnel spot was used.
Thanks,
-Marc
L
Landshark
Guest
The Fresnel is off to the right with the doors shut down to have the light fall off the lower right of the frame, the angle of the light is centered on Anne face. The strip box is high on the left, the Oscar's fill is 90 degrees to the right low output pretty far off the set, the background light is behind the backdrop, hope that helps