Charles... #9... is the reflector made from a couple of insulation boards like the ones you can buy at Home Depot or Lowes?
Alex, yes. You will also have to get some of the sticky roll paper that ladies use to cover cupboard shelves. Get white and they try too find silver or a boyscout solar blanket. So now you have a silver side that you will use when there is no sun (it's almost usless when there is sun) a dull grey side that is the normal color of the insulated board ( you will need some Goof Off to clean the writing off that side) and a white side and the fourth side is dealers choice. Don't cut in half, cut it off center and it seems to work better when you have to open it. I edged mine with J channel that is used in siding a house to help protect the edges. Mine are three years old and I keep them outside 24/7 and they've held up well.
The first three shots were taken with this set up. A Q flash in a round small box with no reflector. Metered for the windows and brought the flash up to the same setting. I talked an owner of a very old warehouse to let me use the unused space during work hours. It is a great place. Some of the roof is gone in a fire and lots of industrial windows around to bounce light.
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This one was taken in a very small bathroom with windows above and behind. White walls helped to bounce the light around and if you check out her eyes you can see the reflector at about five o'clock. It was down on the floor to my right to catch light to fill her eyes.
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The last two were with the window wall behind me and a reflector right on the floor to my right.
I can't believe I've never checked out this thread before. WONDERFUL stuff. I've already got some new lighting ideas for the studio for TopEnd.tv which I help shoot.
I absolutely love this thread!!! I'm a complete newbie to off-camera lighting & I've jumped in the deep end, tirelessly researching gear & techniques (yes, up nightly to 3AM)!!! Many THANKS to Charles & all the others who've posted their setups & Thanks to Tom for pointing me to this thread! It was extremely informative & will be used as a reference for a long time.
Charles, I'm on the shore twice a month in Hurlock & Salisbury & would love to stop by one day. Thanks again!
Travis M. Chance
twin Mark IV's & a bunch of "L" glass site ∙ facebook
I absolutely loved this thread!!! I'm a complete newbie to off-camera lighting & I've jumped in the deep end, tirelessly researching gear & techniques (yes, up nightly to 3AM)!!! Many THANKS to Charles & all the others who've posted their setups & Thanks to Tom for pointing me to this thread! It was extremely informative & will be used as a reference for a long time.
Charles, I'm on the shore twice a month in Hurlock & Salisbury & would love to stop by one day. Thanks again!
All of these were photographed the exact same way, with a quantum in a lastolite ezybox with no reflector. It was an overcast day and these are straight out of camera except for the last one that had pp. As you can see it isn't rocket science just bringing in a light to create sclupting with light.
First one was exposed for the bkg and a flash on camera to fill.
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The rest were all done from the same spot. Never moved the flash except to raise it when she stood. I'm really loving this Lastolite ezybox with the Quantum. It works great for shade and overcast. I do have some in bright sunlight but I'll get to them later.
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Forgive my ignorant question, but how exactly do you match the flash to subject? I have an external flash, but haven't played with it enough to know what all the settings are yet.
Not to be mean but read the instruction booklet.........it is something all of us forget to do and one of the most important items to do. I constantly go back to the book almost once a week.
If your background is reading at f8 then move your flash back and forth till you get a reading of f8 on a flash meter. If you do not own one then chimp......meaning set you flash down at 10 ft with your camera at f8 and take a photo......if too bright move your flash back or cut down on the power........if too dark move your flash in or bump up the power. Most units will have a way of adjusting the power setting so refer to the manual. Then take another photo and chimp again.......do the same procedure till you like the results. Simple as that.
Charles, those outdoor pullbacks are terrific! Thanks for that. As you know, I personally am working on balancing flash while shooting into the sun, and it is definitely one those things that takes some practice :giggle Your pullbacks are a great reminder of many things that I sometimes forget while shooting
So, you're preferring the SB over an umbrella outdoors? Interesting. I've used both - I like the "edges" I get with the SB (they're both clean and soft simultaneously), but mine is a 16" one so I find myself using my 42" umbrella outside to get a bit more wrap and height/length if it's for a full-length shot outdoors. Also, I'm interested to see that your flash is pretty far back - I'd have expected the light to be harder with that distance, but clearly it isn't! Interested in how/why that's the case since even though your Quantum pumps out more power than my speedlights, "relative size" should be the same with your modifiers as mine
SamirD, Charles' use of flash is pretty sophisticated, here - simple, yes, but he really knows what he's doing! If you're interested in learning the basics of the techniques he's discussing, head on over to www.strobist.com which is alllllll about how to use flash - he does, of course, focus on speedlights, but the principles he lays out about balancing ambient and flash are just as applicable to a studio light as a small flash.
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Alex, yes. You will also have to get some of the sticky roll paper that ladies use to cover cupboard shelves. Get white and they try too find silver or a boyscout solar blanket. So now you have a silver side that you will use when there is no sun (it's almost usless when there is sun) a dull grey side that is the normal color of the insulated board ( you will need some Goof Off to clean the writing off that side) and a white side and the fourth side is dealers choice. Don't cut in half, cut it off center and it seems to work better when you have to open it. I edged mine with J channel that is used in siding a house to help protect the edges. Mine are three years old and I keep them outside 24/7 and they've held up well.
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i see lots of opportunities for improvements, but the client is happy so I am happy. Will post more under separate thread once I get more caught up.
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This one was taken in a very small bathroom with windows above and behind. White walls helped to bounce the light around and if you check out her eyes you can see the reflector at about five o'clock. It was down on the floor to my right to catch light to fill her eyes.
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The last two were with the window wall behind me and a reflector right on the floor to my right.
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please visit: www.babyelephants.net
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The pipe makes the pic.
please visit: www.babyelephants.net
You have great expressions and the lighting is pretty good. Congrats! I mihgt try to use seamless next time to give it a more finished appearance.
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Charles; you are too nice
www.Jerrywhitephotography.com
Thanks. I agree with the seamless, they didn't have any for rent which was the limiting factor.
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just a couple of sb-28's with their diffusers down.
Phenomenal!!!
twin Mark IV's & a bunch of "L" glass
site ∙ facebook
Charles, I'm on the shore twice a month in Hurlock & Salisbury & would love to stop by one day. Thanks again!
twin Mark IV's & a bunch of "L" glass
site ∙ facebook
Pullback video http://www.flickr.com/photos/simpsonbrothersphotography/6264526845/
Gallery http://www.simpsonbrothers.net/Photographs/Portraits/Simpson/
1st Birthday
Pullback video http://www.flickr.com/photos/simpsonbrothersphotography/6265082604/
Gallery http://www.simpsonbrothers.net/Photographs/Portraits/Katies-1st-Birthday/
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Thanks for the neat video and gallery. You have some really nice work here with simple equipment. Great job on that!!!!!!!
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First one was exposed for the bkg and a flash on camera to fill.
1.
The rest were all done from the same spot. Never moved the flash except to raise it when she stood. I'm really loving this Lastolite ezybox with the Quantum. It works great for shade and overcast. I do have some in bright sunlight but I'll get to them later.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
www.cameraone.biz
twin Mark IV's & a bunch of "L" glass
site ∙ facebook
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If your background is reading at f8 then move your flash back and forth till you get a reading of f8 on a flash meter. If you do not own one then chimp......meaning set you flash down at 10 ft with your camera at f8 and take a photo......if too bright move your flash back or cut down on the power........if too dark move your flash in or bump up the power. Most units will have a way of adjusting the power setting so refer to the manual. Then take another photo and chimp again.......do the same procedure till you like the results. Simple as that.
www.cameraone.biz
So, you're preferring the SB over an umbrella outdoors? Interesting. I've used both - I like the "edges" I get with the SB (they're both clean and soft simultaneously), but mine is a 16" one so I find myself using my 42" umbrella outside to get a bit more wrap and height/length if it's for a full-length shot outdoors. Also, I'm interested to see that your flash is pretty far back - I'd have expected the light to be harder with that distance, but clearly it isn't! Interested in how/why that's the case since even though your Quantum pumps out more power than my speedlights, "relative size" should be the same with your modifiers as mine
SamirD, Charles' use of flash is pretty sophisticated, here - simple, yes, but he really knows what he's doing! If you're interested in learning the basics of the techniques he's discussing, head on over to www.strobist.com which is alllllll about how to use flash - he does, of course, focus on speedlights, but the principles he lays out about balancing ambient and flash are just as applicable to a studio light as a small flash.