Finally remembered to take some pullbacks during my most recent shoot. One of my biggest challenges is SPACE - in fact, it's at the point where it's becoming a huge limitation, but still somehow I try to make it work. I'd give anything for any empty room though! Sadly, we live in every square inch of our small 1920's bungalow, so nothing I can commandeer for studio use...
Anyway, I've come up with ways of using my living room. I was in the process of clearing up for the shoot when I took these, so excuse the dog toys and vacuum cleaner!!
The LR is approximately 10x15 - the length is fine, but the narrow 10' width drives me nuts as it's so hard to get lights to the sides. The boom stand I got has helped A LOT with this - can't believe I didn't do it years ago. (ETA - babygates are because we have a puppy!!)
(these are just reverse shots of each other)
I also have a Botero popup which I use, although I lean that against the bookcase rather than hang it, but I'm pretty proud of my ingenious and CHEAP way of hanging polypaper backdrops (they're very light and not expensive - I'm a converted fan!).
I tapped 3 very small nails into the top of the bookcase (although I may replace them with small cup hook screws for greater ease of use) - they're completely invisible from the ground. I then use zip ties hooked over the nails to hold the shower pole in place, with shower curtain rings, and curtain clip rings to attach the drops themselves. Total cost about $10 (if that).
I did something similar in the vestibule, using the doorframes + tension of the shower pole to hold it in place without any fittings - it has to hang across the bathroom door, but so be it. As long as it's pulled above the floor, you can just slide it over as I have done here.
The shot below was taken with her leaning against the vestibule door frame (it's cropped out, but it's there!). The foamcore on teh ground is used as a bouncer for a single flash to light the bg - it never quite manages hikey the way you could with 2x flagged studio strobes, but it's close enough that I can boost it in post as needed, and it self-flags to avoid haze/flare.
ALmost all of my indoor images are taken in this space. I really want it to have that NY loft look, so have worked hard to try and fake it! Not sure it always works, but this last shoot probably came as close as I ever have, and I'll be repeating these setups FOR SURE.
Been off for a few weeks trying to take care of mom and dad and can't get my head back into photography yet. Asked a detective to come in and model. She is a hoot and can probably kick my butt so these are the more modest ones. I really need to get it together soon so don't pick too hard.
First three of her are with the 4x6 and reflector plus two lights on the background. Picked up the plastic white corregated sheets as 2x8 from Home Depot and they are neat. Can also used them with colored gels for some neat effects.
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The next set was with two lights on the background and a Paul Buff Alien Been 800 right light with a Moon Unit on the front.
You use your local Lowes most creatively! I like the last one of her the best - she's got strong features and muscles, and that one softens her the most. Love the hair!
As for the catchlights you asked about, I'm pretty sure those come from the "oops, I forgot it was still on" flash behind the foamcore on the floor (I was also using the Trilite, but those catchlights are smaller). She was standing against the wall/doorframe, not sitting on the stool. I'm not crazy about the low catchlight, but I loooovveee what the light bouncing first off the foamcore and then off the white background (and then, presumably, around the room) did for the ambient. It's not controlled, of course, but I love the "airy" look it gives, and now I know I that can work I can position, flag, and use reflectors as needed to get what I want. I'm so desperate for more space, but there's just no way to do that at this point. It's all good!
I have two questions after seeing DM and Hackbone's set up.
1) For both of you, how high is the ceiling as that is what is worrying me about my house locations?
2) Hackbone do you heat the garage or is it a truly converted space?
Brad, we have quite high ceilings - I think they're 8'8". Biggest problem for me on that score is that there's a ceiling fan and in the summer I sometimes forget it's on before moving the light.... Oops.
Brad, I bought a tiny house and then added a 16 by 34 camera room to it that also has 10 ft ceilings. I don't think I said it was a garage but I know a guy in Vegas who does outstanding portrait and commercial work out of his garage and makes a ton of money there. I wanted the space because I'm lazy and don't want to move alot of props, boy did that idea go out the window fast.
Charles, thanks for the dimensions - that puts things into perspective for me. Your space is slightly WIDER than mine is long - ouch
Hinson, I have been buying these through lemondropstop.com - if you "like" them on Facebook, they often offer promotions through there, too. They have hundreds or designs. The whimsical and vintage ones aren't useful for my own style, but many of the brick and wood ones are great. The plain white you see hanging on the bookcase in my pullbacks is actually just the back of a more patterned one (I just turned it around). Both of these are 5x7 - I got the extra length thinking I'd need it and in fact it's just a pain. Next batch will definitely be 5x5, which are $50 except they usually have some kind of offer/coupon for either 10 or 15% off which makes them very affordable.
Charles, thanks for the dimensions - that puts things into perspective for me. Your space is slightly WIDER than mine is long - ouch
Hinson, I have been buying these through lemondropstop.com - if you "like" them on Facebook, they often offer promotions through there, too. They have hundreds or designs. The whimsical and vintage ones aren't useful for my own style, but many of the brick and wood ones are great. The plain white you see hanging on the bookcase in my pullbacks is actually just the back of a more patterned one (I just turned it around). Both of these are 5x7 - I got the extra length thinking I'd need it and in fact it's just a pain. Next batch will definitely be 5x5, which are $50 except they usually have some kind of offer/coupon for either 10 or 15% off which makes them very affordable.
I often go to fabric stores and buy 6 to 8 ft of a fabric I like. I did like this green one so I added a green gel to intensify it abit more. Two kickers a bkg lt and a 4x6 main.
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A main, one kicker and bkg. The main was right in front of her and I stood directly in front of that.
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two kickers on the bkg and the 4x6 plus reflector.
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The reflector was set up for a different shot on this set up. I just moved it to the right for the next shot. Note how much light is being reflected back to the subject.
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Last one with the same reflector set up.
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OMG Hack, these are terrific and she is, of course, GORGEOUS!!!
Bilsen (the artist formerly known as John Galt NY) Canon 600D; Canon 1D Mk2; 24-105 f4L IS; 70-200 f4L IS; 50mm 1.4; 28-75 f2.8; 55-250 IS; 580EX & (2) 430EX Flash,
Model Galleries: http://bilsen.zenfolio.com/
Everything Else: www.pbase.com/bilsen
Playing around last night. My space is tight but not as tight as Diva's. I shot this set with my 70-200mm at the long end. At times, I was shooting from 3 rooms away!!
AB1600 in 30"x60" softbox with inside diffuser removed @ camera left
AB400 in gridded strip box @ camera right
AB400 in 7" reflector with 20 degree grid for hair light
Way to go!!!! Very nice job. Been out of town on a cruse and I come back and you've caught up. WOW!! Some items told to me in the past......keep fill on the same side as your main. If your not careful it might cause some cross shadows. When the arm is out like it is it gets more light than the face and becomes hotter. You can mininize it by tipping the light to a certain extent and dropping the hand a little lower accents the waist line even more. Your a lucky guy to have such a nice wife.......I mean lights.
So you mean keep the fill just to camera left in this setup? Basically, directly in front but to the side just enough so the fill light is not blocking the shot?
Yes, I was taught to keep the fill on the same side as the main so not to create extra shadows. That is how you build your ratios. The fill hits both sides of the face and the main only one so you build dimensional lighting.
Yes, I was taught to keep the fill on the same side as the main so not to create extra shadows. That is how you build your ratios. The fill hits both sides of the face and the main only one so you build dimensional lighting.
Yes, I learned the same way. But like they say, rules are made to be broken and it looks like he nailed the Rembrandt lighting.
The white bkg were with the 4x6 box basically off to my left and a reflector and two lights on the bkg, the grey bkg had the box directly behind me as I stood in front of it. #4 does have two kickers coming backtoward her to rim her. The pink was with a ring light and one light on the bkg. Nothing special just a fun Zumba instructor that needed something in two days due to her moving. These are basically straight out of camera. A little Capture One black point and cropped but nothing else.
What do you have the SB above mounted on? A boom arm? If so, which one brand? I think I've asked before but can't remember. I'm in need of a good boom arm that can hold some weight like that.
The big box (4x6) is mounted on a mono pole called a titan jr that has a three legged base. The smaller box that is on the overhead is on a bogen/manfrotto boom arm. That box is a 3x4.
Thank you
hackbone. Your posts are great! Thanks so much for sharing. Your house is a photographer's dream and I hope one day to have a little playground like you have!
Question for ya, Do you have a favorite focal length and aperture you like to shoot at?
Comments
Setup: Pretty basic clam shell.
Result:
A collage of my octabox overhead rig:
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Anyway, I've come up with ways of using my living room. I was in the process of clearing up for the shoot when I took these, so excuse the dog toys and vacuum cleaner!!
The LR is approximately 10x15 - the length is fine, but the narrow 10' width drives me nuts as it's so hard to get lights to the sides. The boom stand I got has helped A LOT with this - can't believe I didn't do it years ago. (ETA - babygates are because we have a puppy!!)
(these are just reverse shots of each other)
I also have a Botero popup which I use, although I lean that against the bookcase rather than hang it, but I'm pretty proud of my ingenious and CHEAP way of hanging polypaper backdrops (they're very light and not expensive - I'm a converted fan!).
I tapped 3 very small nails into the top of the bookcase (although I may replace them with small cup hook screws for greater ease of use) - they're completely invisible from the ground. I then use zip ties hooked over the nails to hold the shower pole in place, with shower curtain rings, and curtain clip rings to attach the drops themselves. Total cost about $10 (if that).
I did something similar in the vestibule, using the doorframes + tension of the shower pole to hold it in place without any fittings - it has to hang across the bathroom door, but so be it. As long as it's pulled above the floor, you can just slide it over as I have done here.
The shot below was taken with her leaning against the vestibule door frame (it's cropped out, but it's there!). The foamcore on teh ground is used as a bouncer for a single flash to light the bg - it never quite manages hikey the way you could with 2x flagged studio strobes, but it's close enough that I can boost it in post as needed, and it self-flags to avoid haze/flare.
ALmost all of my indoor images are taken in this space. I really want it to have that NY loft look, so have worked hard to try and fake it! Not sure it always works, but this last shoot probably came as close as I ever have, and I'll be repeating these setups FOR SURE.
www.cameraone.biz
First three of her are with the 4x6 and reflector plus two lights on the background. Picked up the plastic white corregated sheets as 2x8 from Home Depot and they are neat. Can also used them with colored gels for some neat effects.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The next set was with two lights on the background and a Paul Buff Alien Been 800 right light with a Moon Unit on the front.
6.
7.
8.
9.
www.cameraone.biz
As for the catchlights you asked about, I'm pretty sure those come from the "oops, I forgot it was still on" flash behind the foamcore on the floor (I was also using the Trilite, but those catchlights are smaller). She was standing against the wall/doorframe, not sitting on the stool. I'm not crazy about the low catchlight, but I loooovveee what the light bouncing first off the foamcore and then off the white background (and then, presumably, around the room) did for the ambient. It's not controlled, of course, but I love the "airy" look it gives, and now I know I that can work I can position, flag, and use reflectors as needed to get what I want. I'm so desperate for more space, but there's just no way to do that at this point. It's all good!
1) For both of you, how high is the ceiling as that is what is worrying me about my house locations?
2) Hackbone do you heat the garage or is it a truly converted space?
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www.Jerrywhitephotography.com
Hinson, I have been buying these through lemondropstop.com - if you "like" them on Facebook, they often offer promotions through there, too. They have hundreds or designs. The whimsical and vintage ones aren't useful for my own style, but many of the brick and wood ones are great. The plain white you see hanging on the bookcase in my pullbacks is actually just the back of a more patterned one (I just turned it around). Both of these are 5x7 - I got the extra length thinking I'd need it and in fact it's just a pain. Next batch will definitely be 5x5, which are $50 except they usually have some kind of offer/coupon for either 10 or 15% off which makes them very affordable.
Thanks Diva; I'll check them out.
www.Jerrywhitephotography.com
OMG Hack, these are terrific and she is, of course, GORGEOUS!!!
Canon 600D; Canon 1D Mk2;
24-105 f4L IS; 70-200 f4L IS; 50mm 1.4; 28-75 f2.8; 55-250 IS; 580EX & (2) 430EX Flash,
Model Galleries: http://bilsen.zenfolio.com/
Everything Else: www.pbase.com/bilsen
Why not use the light itself as part of the bkg. I had dad hold a plastic mirror about 20x30 to open the shadows some
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So you mean keep the fill just to camera left in this setup? Basically, directly in front but to the side just enough so the fill light is not blocking the shot?
Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums
My Smug Site
www.cameraone.biz
Yes, I learned the same way. But like they say, rules are made to be broken and it looks like he nailed the Rembrandt lighting.
www.Jerrywhitephotography.com
and the result
Canon 600D; Canon 1D Mk2;
24-105 f4L IS; 70-200 f4L IS; 50mm 1.4; 28-75 f2.8; 55-250 IS; 580EX & (2) 430EX Flash,
Model Galleries: http://bilsen.zenfolio.com/
Everything Else: www.pbase.com/bilsen
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www.cameraone.biz
Found some new backgrounds.
An old carpet. You can see the lighting, a main and reflector, a kicker and a light on the rug.
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And an old piece of fabric.
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Trying a high angle main over subject and out in front.
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www.cameraone.biz
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What do you have the SB above mounted on? A boom arm? If so, which one brand? I think I've asked before but can't remember. I'm in need of a good boom arm that can hold some weight like that.
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My Smug Site
www.cameraone.biz
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NIKON D700
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Canon 600D; Canon 1D Mk2;
24-105 f4L IS; 70-200 f4L IS; 50mm 1.4; 28-75 f2.8; 55-250 IS; 580EX & (2) 430EX Flash,
Model Galleries: http://bilsen.zenfolio.com/
Everything Else: www.pbase.com/bilsen
hackbone. Your posts are great! Thanks so much for sharing. Your house is a photographer's dream and I hope one day to have a little playground like you have!
Question for ya, Do you have a favorite focal length and aperture you like to shoot at?
____________________
Chuck Dee - AKA Chris
"My job as a portrait photographer is to seduce, amuse and entertain." - Helmut Newton
www.bellissimofoto.com
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