|
Forums >
Photography Talk >
Studio work - let it begin
For many years, I've always appreciated natural light, using flash for fill only for certain instances or occassions. I've got to get in the studio and expand the horizons so to speak. I'm preparring to dive into the studio next weekend. Nice place and for the hourly price plus lighting equipment, can't beat it. I've read on the standard styles of lighting and set up, but I figured what better source of suggestions and help than right here on MM. Question: What not do do using strobe lighting. That's basically the question. I still use film, I want to retain the color punch if you will so suggestions on strobe settings: I plan on using 100 ISO. The 400 Tri X for B/W. Thank you everyone, hurricane Dennis is doing a fine job at washing my car this morning. Rik Jul 09 05 08:31 am Link Posted by Rik Bowman: When I started with strobes, I had big contrast problems because I had been shooting with natural light for 5 or 6 years and gotten used to it. Natural light can be extremely diffused, if that's what you like (which is what I liked!) even though it's a point-source. So I got the stupids and thought I would use a single strobe and reflector combination at a distance - and got these incredibly contrasty awful shots. Jul 09 05 08:38 am Link Put the main light as close to the model as you can get it without it showing up in the frame. Start with the fill about 2-2.5 stops less than the main. That should get you rolling. Paul Jul 09 05 03:17 pm Link It's going to be a learning expirence for you. Shoot, have fun, play around, take notes, lots of meter readings - oh yeah, you need a flash meter your luna pro won't work here hehe Anyways, try lots of stuff and remember more flash heads are not going to make your shot better. After you get your proofs, study study study them, see what you like, what you don't like and thus begins your study of studio lighting. Oh, and you "need" to soften the light, umbrellas, soft boxes, etc. neither is better, just depends on personal preferences. Jul 11 05 11:39 am Link I don't have one, but have seen it used, nothing beats a photolite for creating natural looking light. I hate umbrellas. Jul 11 05 12:50 pm Link Posted by Rik Bowman: I perfer to shoot with TRI-X PAn (iso 320) 220, but I never shoot anything smaller than 2 1/4 format. Also what type of developer are you using....increase the development time by 30%. It depends on what you are looking for in shooting with strobe or hot lights..... Jul 11 05 12:54 pm Link Posted by Paul Ferrara: This is the best piece of advice anybody here will get. That soft box (more directional than an umbrell) has to be barely out of frame. If you have a gray wall or background by placing your model a certain distance from it (experiment until you will know with your gut) the model will either pop out of the background (with a light gray that will be light gray because of your softbox spill) or it will blend into the black of the wall (if you are far enough away. A door sized carboard painted whit on one side and black on the other can be used to fill the dark side of your model. If you think you need a hair light you will need an additional head for your flash pack or (another monoblock). And that's it. If you shoot film I recommend two things: Jul 11 05 12:59 pm Link This shot, which through the years has been one of my most successfull, I took with a one and a half by two foot softbox. I used no hair light or reflector. Because the model had blond hair I did not need a hairlight. The pack I use is a very dependable and old Dynalite 800. I like the recessed reflectors on the heads. When I drop them (this is often!) only the modelling light bulbs go and the flash tubes keep on working. I like the 140mm lens of my Mamiya RB because its 75mm equivalent in 35 means that you get a bit telephoto but you are close enough to your model to work on the mutual physical proximity. The resulting portrait (in this focal length) will have intimacy.  Jul 11 05 01:11 pm Link Take notes about what you and uses polaroids. Instant feed back to how the light will look and what makes sense. Jul 11 05 08:16 pm Link Posted by Michael Sloane: A digital camera is a cheap and easy replacement for a polaroid (especially since polaroid inc will probably be gone in another 5 years).. Just a thought. That was what got me to finally "go digital" I used a digcam as a polariod/lightmeter for 2 years. Jul 11 05 08:30 pm Link Posted by Rik Bowman: Question: If the strobe lighting is plugged in, do not drop it into a full bathtub. Jul 11 05 09:03 pm Link Posted by Timothy M. Hughes: Well, since you haven't done much with strobes, here's a hint for you - if you're ever trying to see if your flash tube is defective, just put your tongue across the contacts where the tube goes and hit the "TEST" button on your pack. If you feel anything, then the pack is OK. Jul 11 05 09:12 pm Link Use the digital to make sure the light is placed right. Use one or two polaroids to check the exposure since it will be closer to the film than the digital. mike Jul 12 05 11:59 pm Link Too funny Timothy and Marcus  Thank you all for the advice. I do believe that the studio does offer a flash meter (YES, i'm dying to finally get one) and I'll follow the fill less 2-2.5 stops and experiment from there. But, if you have the main at let's say f8 and the fill (firing test shots for each) at say f5.6, then won't the light compound for an overall reading near f11? If so, though the sync in my cameras could range from a speed of 60 or 125, will i get too much depth of field? I suppose that a majority of the time, i'm around 5.6 to f8 out there in natural light, depending on the scene, trying to blend out the back ground at a shutter of 60 or so, i'm not capturing motion. I guess i'll have to experiment as you all say at maybe a f5.6 for main and go down two on the fill to get a darker feel? Oh well, it's quite new to me but I'll try all of them! and of course take notes for sure. Wish me luck....I hope no one cancels but then that's another thread all together  Rik Jul 14 05 08:27 pm Link Most studio photographers make the lights match their f-stop rather than the reverse. First, set your f-stop where you want it (f8 is pretty common and that's what I use). In my case, I then adjust the fill light (if I'm using one) to say, f4. I then turn on my main light and meter both lights until I get f8. Also, set your shutter speed to the maximum permitted by your camera. In my case that's 1/125. Paul Jul 14 05 11:17 pm Link |
