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adding strobes to my continuous setup
I'm looking at picking up 3-4 Alienbees to play around with. I currently use continuous lighting, which I have a fairly good understanding of coming from a motion picture background, but I'm curious about how one makes judgements about lighting setups that aren't actually visible until you hit the trigger and then only for a split second. Mostly I'm interested in the portability of strobes with the use of a battery, rather than needing to pull 4,000-6,000w from a collection of wall outlets on 3 seperate circuits as I do now. I don't think my light meter can even register flashes. So my question: Can someone please recommend literature resources and/or briefly cover the major differences between the application and use of the two systems? Nov 25 05 01:13 am Link You have a *ist, right? Or am I making that up? If not, note that some of what I say below only applies to digital. It's tough to quickly read a histogram on a film image...  Ched wrote: Modeling lights are a start, but the Alien Bees' are pretty dim. But if you're familiar with continuous lighting ratios, the same concepts apply. You just have to rely on your metering and your test shots (and yes, I am recommending chimping--just not for every shot... Mostly I'm interested in the portability of strobes with the use of a battery, rather than needing to pull 4,000-6,000w from a collection of wall outlets on 3 seperate circuits as I do now. Word. And the risk of fire is much lower. And you can improvise light modifiers with a couple of paper towels. I don't think my light meter can even register flashes. There are people who will vehemently assert that you need a flash meter. I'm not one of them. But I think you need to be comfortable reading histograms. Here's a start: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutor … rams.shtml So my question: Can someone please recommend literature resources and/or briefly cover the major differences between the application and use of the two systems? For the most part, I think the applications of strobes and hot lights are the same--just that the strobe is not on as long. The biggest differences are in heat and stopping movement both from the subject and from camera shake. Nov 25 05 01:47 am Link I'm kind of partial to the light meter. Mine is old (bought it when I bought my medium format camera), simple, and was cheap. However, it does what I need it to do. I'm sure the newer ones are a lot nicer. Nov 25 05 09:21 am Link Brian Diaz wrote: Brian cites a valuble resource, Photonet. I go there everyday. Not only the lighting forums but others an well. The lighting fourum does do a tutorial each week and you can find them by looking in the small "Administration" Link on the main Lighting forum page. Some great studio shooters over there and much less chance of getting flamed. Nov 25 05 09:29 am Link I use a meter, but that's for a couple specific reasons - I still shoot film, and I sometimes shoot MF digital where getting an image out of the back, applying a curve, and looking at the histogram can take longer than you want to spend. With digital SLRs I don't think I'd feel much need for a meter, though I still use one, just to get me in the ballpark fast. I'm using an Autometer IVf, not state of the art, just an old reliable tank. It can do ratios, and I suppose I use that about once every couple months. The people who taught me lighting definitely didn't sell me on doing ratios by the meter. With the ABs it helps to replace the stock modeling lamps with the highest-lumen 150 watt edison bulb you can find, and then turn off all other lights in the studio while you set your lighting. I always recommend "Light, Science and Magic" by Fuqua and Hunter, but if you have experience with hotlights, you aren't going to find strobes too much different and you probably won't need it. Nov 25 05 11:12 am Link Sounds like good advice. Thanks, guys. Nov 25 05 12:30 pm Link |
