Just playing around. My graphic skills are quite limited but I'm sure others could make this more realistic with the tv glow for a gamer.

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One more outside.

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Great seies Charles!!!

Originally Posted by Hackbone Just playing around. My graphic skills are quite limited but I'm sure others could make this more realistic with the tv glow for a gamer. 1. 2.

A CTB gel works good for TV light

Thanks, I did it a little better with a graduated blue in another post. I'll try the gel.

Hey, I finally got me a pullback... Yesterday, college volleyball individual shots.



______________________
Chuck Dee - AKA Chris
"A good photograph is knowing where to stand." -Ansel Adams
www.bellissimofoto.com
metal buildings

I see alot of photos here that are very poor due to overexposure by sunlight. Even in direct light you can get great shots by using a flash and blocking the sunlight. The prints are basically straight out of camera.

Look at the sunlight on the person holding the reflector to block the light. His exposure is pretty hot.

Look at the subjects had where I missed catching the light hitting his hand. That is how bad his face would have looked without blocking the light.

I exposed for the truck/greenery and brought the flash in. Hope this makes sense.

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Chuck,

You address something that took me a bit to realize. Often times when shooting outside, it's much easier to "subtract" light than it is to overpower it. Using a gobo to block sun light or a diffuser to stop it down is way easier than trying to light a background that may be in shade or trying to use fill to overpower light on your subject. I think we all know and think of using open shade but sometimes there isn't any to be found. You have to make it as you have in your pull back.

One of things that I read a while ago that just clicked with me is that when lighting your subject, it's all about finding a way to balance them with the light on background elements. You either need to bring up the light on your subject to match a bright BG or bring down the light on them to match a darker BG. Basically thinking the way landscape photogs think when using GND filter to reduce the dynamic range in the scene they're shooting. Instead of a filter, we use other tools to like flash, reflectors, diffusers, and gobos to reduce the dynamic range in our outdoor portraits.

If you want to study some subtractive lighting google Leon Kennamer and his subtractive lighting techniques.

My not so nice set up (very jealous of all of you)



Results:





hopefully Ill be getting some decent lights here shortly

Very, very nice. Try getting your main as close as possible, just out of frame or possibly catching the edge and see what you think of the light and shadow. Thanks for posting. You've made great use of your space.

Originally Posted by Hackbone Very, very nice. Try getting your main as close as possible, just out of frame or possibly catching the edge and see what you think of the light and shadow. Thanks for posting. You've made great use of your space.

thank you for the encouragement! Ill try moving it in closer next time the lady lets me destroy her living room

also got my first strobe in today:



let the madness begin

Congrats on the AB800! I'm on the verge of picking up an Einstein (thanks to Charles' endorsement!)

Found a new work space

Remember, a big light very close is a soft light on your subject. Move it further away and it gets harder. Also a tiny light source is hard. So.......get that thing in as close, just out of frame, for a great soft light for your cute model. Get everything closer to the right wall and use that as a reflector if it is white. This space is great!

ps.....are any of the windows facing north.....that could be even better.

Still Loving this thread! Very cool!

Originally Posted by Hackbone Remember, a big light very close is a soft light on your subject. Move it further away and it gets harder. Also a tiny light source is hard. So.......get that thing in as close, just out of frame, for a great soft light for your cute model. Get everything closer to the right wall and use that as a reflector if it is white. This space is great! ps.....are any of the windows facing north.....that could be even better.

The window is actually east facing and thank you for the tip on using the wall as a reflector. I did end up moving the light in closer once we got to shooting (probably still not close enough) but was still having issues with the "not having a sync cable or wireless setup" yet. I have since gotten my hot shoe adapter for the sync cable. Its soooooo nice to be able to freely move and still have the light fire

definitely wasnt my best shoot but its getting there. I was about to order a couple new back drops but ended up having to pay for new parts to put on the ladies car. The lower ball joint (well the entire lower control arm) needed to be replaced and she also ran something over something so we will need two new tire as well The wonderful life of being an automotive technician

oh well. Maybe in a month or two

Originally Posted by Hackbone Remember, a big light very close is a soft light on your subject. Move it further away and it gets harder. Also a tiny light source is hard. So.......get that thing in as close, just out of frame, for a great soft light for your cute model. Get everything closer to the right wall and use that as a reflector if it is white. This space is great! ps.....are any of the windows facing north.....that could be even better.

Great advice Charles, thank you!




____________________
Chuck Dee - AKA Chris
"A good photograph is knowing where to stand." -Ansel Adams
flight school

Your don't need a sync cord to fire your strobe. You can use your on camera flash to trip the slave on your main unit. It will help if you have the flash that is separate from the camera not built in. You can then put it on the camera, tip it up or away from your subject and it will fire the strobe. Will even act as a fill it you play with it.