Using a scrim outdoors by myself

Dooginfif20

I have been looking at get a 5 in 1 reflector set or maybe even just a scrim because I already have a white/silver 32". The question I have is what do you guys use to hold when you are by yourself? I see kits that come with the scrim and the stand with the arm but how does that keep it from moving backwards and forwards with the wind? I want to get some good shots of my wife and the photog I intern for uses a scrim to stop down the light a little bit and his results are always great! Any ideas?

angevin1

Dooginfif20 wrote:

I have been looking at get a 5 in 1 reflector set or maybe even just a scrim because I already have a white/silver 32". The question I have is what do you guys use to hold when you are by yourself? I see kits that come with the scrim and the stand with the arm but how does that keep it from moving backwards and forwards with the wind? I want to get some good shots of my wife and the photog I intern for uses a scrim to stop down the light a little bit and his results are always great! Any ideas?

It won't keep it from moving in a 'wind'. When it's too windy, it is too windy. You need a person or two...or you need to drag gear with you to hold it. you sure he's not just diffusing the light? Otherwise, why not ask him what he'd recommend? I have that stuff, but prefer to have a helper to hold stuff...and when its too windy, I don't even bother.

Dooginfif20

angevin1 wrote:

It won't keep it from moving in a 'wind'. When it's too windy, it is too windy. You need a person or two...or you need to drag gear with you to hold it. you sure he's not just diffusing the light? Otherwise, why not ask him what he'd recommend? I have that stuff, but prefer to have a helper to hold stuff...and when its too windy, I don't even bother.

Well here it is too windy and I dont want to have to ask someone to come with me. I looked through B&H and they have some products that might work with some weight on them, but I want to know what you fellow photogs choose to use and how you choose to use it.

kdog

Hold it yourself with your camera on a tripod, using your timer. I've done this a few times and it works great.

Dooginfif20

kdog wrote:

Hold it yourself with your camera on a tripod, using your timer. I've done this a few times and it works great.

Thats actually a good idea. I will have to try that!

ElginetPhotos

Dooginfif20 wrote:

Thats actually a good idea. I will have to try that!

I always keep a set of these cheap weight sets made out of a little canvas bag and powder lead. I have 4 of them and they're about 8 lbs. a piece but what a convenience for stuff like this. Living near Chicago (the most photographically UNFRIENDLY city in the US!) you have to be prepared for stuff like that because the weather can change in 20 minutes. I use em on my tripod (and sometimes ON the camera) whenever shooting skyline stuff.

I like the holding it yourself and using the timer though!

Tim Kamppinen

Better yet, use a remote shutter release so you can take more than one shot at a time... I've been considering trying this lately as I have a 5-in-1 reflector that I have yet to use outside because I don't have an assistant and if I clamp it to a lightstand it's going to go sailing in even the slightest breeze, plus it would be hard to get it positioned correctly.

I think you'd have to either have the subject stay extremely motionless, or use a fairly small aperture, to make sure you get everything in focus that needs to be. That's the main reason I'm skeptical, since I like to shoot at 2.8 a lot and I'd have to go back to the camera and refocus every time the subject tilts her head or something like that. Or I could keep it in AF but at 2.8 that's a crap shoot... half the time it will end up focused on the hair or nose instead of the eyes.

Dooginfif20

I have a remote so I might end up trying that. Its either I do that or figure out some sort of way to hold the reflector with a stand and weigh it down with 100lbs of stuff to keep it from moving!

kdog

Dooginfif20 wrote:

I have a remote so I might end up trying that. Its either I do that or figure out some sort of way to hold the reflector with a stand and weigh it down with 100lbs of stuff to keep it from moving!

Unless you have three hands, holding the reflector and operating a remote could be tricky. What's wrong with using the timer?

Dooginfif20

kdog wrote:

Unless you have three hands, holding the reflector and operating a remote could be tricky. What's wrong with using the timer?

there is nothing wrong with using the timer. my remote is very tiny and I was thinking I would be able to hold a reflector and press the shutter release easily. Im honestly thinking about just buying a stand and holder and then just making some Home Depot modifications to make able to hold a lot of extra weight

pathfinder

I have the Impact stand that comes in a package with the 42 in reflectors. I like it. It works quite well indoors.

Whenever I use a reflector out of doors, I find the individual needs both hands, a firm grip, and some tenacity - features my stand does not really have. Large reflectors make great kites or great sails.

Dooginfif20

pathfinder wrote:

I have the Impact stand that comes in a package with the 42 in reflectors. I like it. It works quite well indoors.

Whenever I use a reflector out of doors, I find the individual needs both hands, a firm grip, and some tenacity - features my stand does not really have. Large reflectors make great kites or great sails.

Ya and if you didnt notice I like in the Pacific Northwest where wind is plenty! I have personally held a scrim and a reflector for the photog I intern for and even with a little bit of wind it was a bit tough to hold. How well do those $400 scrim frames and fabric work?

pathfinder

I do know that California SunBounce sells large 8 foot square scrims. How well they work in significant winds, I have my doubts, but I am a curmudgeon about that sort of thing, so ......

California SunBounce does have some videos showing them used, some of which do have a bit of a breeze as I recall.

I have been wanting to see one of their Sun Movers. I wish it came in Gold and White, rather than Silver and White or Zebra and White. I never knew what to use "Zebra" for. ( It turns out Zebra is a modified gold and white - Perfect!! ) The Impact reflectors are cheaper, but mine kind of wrinkle at times, and the Sun Movers seem more taut. Important or not? Not really sure. The review suggests they will not bend in a hurricane, but be careful opening them up as they will really snap open.

The review convinced me - I put in an order for one this afternoon!

Tim Kamppinen

kdog wrote:

Unless you have three hands, holding the reflector and operating a remote could be tricky. What's wrong with using the timer?

Well if you use the timer you need to keep going back to the camera to set it, your subject has to wait for the camera while holding a pose, you can't spontaneously capture an expression, etc.

Maybe you have a really huge remote shutter release or something, but the one I have is small and I could easily hold it and a reflector at the same time and operate it.

kdog

Tim Kamppinen wrote:

Well if you use the timer you need to keep going back to the camera to set it, your subject has to wait for the camera while holding a pose, you can't spontaneously capture an expression, etc.

Maybe you have a really huge remote shutter release or something, but the one I have is small and I could easily hold it and a reflector at the same time and operate it.

Actually, I have the tiny Canon IR remote, but didn't think of using it. If you have two firm hands on the scrim, then where is the remote? I guess you could pinch it between your hand and the scrim frame, but then you need to aim and operate it at the same time you're holding the scrim. Personally, I found that I had my hands pretty full just trying to hold the scrim in the wind while making sure the entire model was screened from the sun with no hot spots, etc. If you don't need to aim your remote, then that might be the best of both worlds. Try it and let us know how you make out.