Twilight portraits

chrisjlee

I'm looking to use my auxilary off camera flash to do a portrait for class at 7 o'clock at night; so almost pitch black with winter lurking around the corner here in michigan.

I want to capture a slight hint of the background; but this will be out on a farm with probably zero ambient light. I know i'll have to drag the shutter. I guess I could light things with my car headlights.

Anyone want to offer creative suggestions that I might not be able to think of?

AntoineD

As you may read in many other threads about using flash in those conditions, I'd say it's all about your style.

Anyway, reading what you wrote, I'd start with my D200 @ 200 iso, SB800 at 1/4 + diffuser, and speed like 1/30, aperture around 5.6, maybe, so I can keep some background.

It would be a starting point to me…

System

like the idea of the headights-

what about from the side or back-

anyway, please post when you get it done-

AntoineD

Oh, and I'm thinking: have a few tests before the night you'll shoot for real, so we can comment about it

chrisjlee

Thanks for the comments.

I'll post them on smugmug when I can.

Owen

Headlights throw a lot less light than you think.. I've tried it a few times.

chrisjlee

Owen wrote:

Headlights throw a lot less light than you think.. I've tried it a few times.

Even on the brightest setting?

AntoineD

chrisjlee wrote:

Even on the brightest setting?

try it

chrisjlee

AntoineD wrote:

try it

Of course. I'll try to bring more cars then.

AntoineD

chrisjlee wrote:

Of course. I'll try to bring more cars then.

Maybe a truck, too
They got big headlights.

Owen

Yeah, and it's hardly flattering light. Good as a "model light" to help focus, but not as a primary.

AntoineD

Well, Terry Richardson's using a point & shoot yashica… so why not some car's beam as primary lights ?

Owen

Terry Richardson uses a camera-mounted speedlight, afaik.

And he only gets away with it because he had a famous (and respectable) fashion photographer father. :P

Owen

AntoineD

that helps.



Sure, put his photos on flickr randomly… guess he won't win for each.

'guess I should have a famous father, too

chrisjlee

I put some photos up already. Check them out:













full size photos are up here as well as more photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjlee/301336001/

Focusing in the dark was difficult. I ended up not being able to move my car by the bar. I feared getting stuck in the mud. It was raining a bit last night.

Thanks for all your suggestions and comments.

System

that first one looks great!-

I'm not clear on what you used for lighting-

chrisjlee

gefillmore wrote:

that first one looks great!-
I'm not clear on what you used for lighting-

I'm not a master of lighting. I'm far from a canon explorer of light. Just slowly progressively getting there step by step. )


Setup:

Sigma super dg 500 to camera left. (9 or 10 o clock to subject) set to 1/8 power
set on optical slave

Sigma super dg 500 to camera right (3-4 o clock of subject) set to 1/4 power set on optical slave. zoomed in 105mm to give that spot light effect.

I used my canon 580ex to trigger the flash optically. I don't have the resouces to drop money on pocket wizards yet. I had to borrow that sigma flash actually. Its a friend of mine.

shot at F5.6 to F8. ISO 400 can't remember which for which image.

AntoineD

1 & 2 are very nice , though it's too bad the feet's cut on the second one.

chrisjlee

AntoineD wrote:

1 & 2 are very nice , though it's too bad the feet's cut on the second one.

thanks. so true. How unfortunate.