No Images but Questions Galore

Bilsen

Hi all,


In about a month, Cyndi and I are going into the studio ::shiver:: to shoot a set based on her dancing which is spectacular. Essentially, she'll do the dance straight up and it's my job to catch the stills.
If you have 4 mins, go take a look at one of the dances she'll be doing here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0FIl1bx6eM&feature=BFa&list=HL1351962335


I'll be using my new mono-lights (2 x 300 ws Interfits) with Photik Softlighters (48" and 60") as well as having a shoot thru umbrella or two handy, and I have my 3 speedlights available. My camera sync speed is 1/200 but I can usually cheat that to 1/250. I use radio triggers in manual flash mode so ETTL is out.


Any suggestions for lights and position? I know enough to catch her in the moves that face the key light but, anything else?


Do you think 1/200 is fast enough to freeze her with the strobes? I can't really use HSS or 2nd curtain on the mono lights (at least I have't found those yet)


Wardrobe will be her "Cleopatra" outfit


so there will be a lot of motion swirling around.

So to all you concept studio experts, what can you suggest to this studio bumpkin??

Allen

Can you fix the video link?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0FIl...hannel&list=UL

Bilsen

Allen,

I think it just may not work on Grin cause ithe same link works elsewhere.

In any event, if you want, go to you tube and search " TurnAptheMusic". The song in the link is Whine It Up and I see some great stills if I can catch them

Allen

Bilsen wrote: »

Allen,

I think it just may not work on Grin cause ithe same link works elsewhere.

In any event, if you want, go to you tube and search " TurnAptheMusic". The song in the link is Whine It Up and I see some great stills if I can catch them

Paste the full link in and then bold the : and .

http://www.youtube.com/wat..........

This will change the link to pure text and will be copyable.

Bilsen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0FIl1bx6eM&feature=BFa&list=HL1351962335

Bilsen

Damn, it worked.

Thank you Allen.

Art Scott

clicked link and it says video does not exist.

Sam

I have shoot some dancing in the past and at sync speeds of 160 to 250 motion blur is definitely an issue.

What I would try is to keep the ambient light down, set f stop, and ISO so the resulting image is way underexposed to completely dark.

Set your lighting up so that is the only light exposing your dancer. That should freeze the motion.

I would think your only going to be able to effectively light a smaller section of the stage / dance floor so dance moves to be photographed would be performed in that area.

I don't think it would be practical to try and light the entire stage area.

Sam

Bryce Wilson

Best advice I can give on this is to have her dance in slow motion. Super slow motion if possible. It may take some practice on her part, but if you can get her head around it so she actually hears the music she's dancing to in her head in slow motion, it will solve a whole host of problems for you.

Bilsen

Thanks guys.

Art, I just clicked the link and it came right up.

Sam and Bryce, thanks for the hints. I'm not sure about the slow mo but I'm sure I can keep her in pretty much one spot. The 250 SS does worry me though.

Gonna try and see if I can rig up some HSS capability.

Hackbone

Study her dance and pick out the moves that will photograph well and focus on those. She doesn't have to do the entire dance. If your ambient is really, really low the strobes should stop acton. I think you could get some cool shots with flash guns in hi sync mode. One on a 45 to her face and a kicker from behind on the other back side.

anonymouscuban

I fixed the link in your OP Bilsen.

Foques

1/160-1/200 is the speed I use when shooting band performances.

1/160 for mild movement, and 1/180-1/200 for a head banging.

Example - 1/160

no strobe used, just a plain light.

Bilsen

Thanks all.