Discussion: Shooting & Retouching Techniques for Professional Photographers

[Imaginara]

No need to excuse anything, if you dont ask questions you wont get any answers =)

The softbox might work if it's a very big one, but it will not spread as much to the sides as the umbrella will. The main thing the softbox will change is the shadow on the background which will be more pronounced. The grid will even further focus the light making the white panels on the side less effective.

If you use d-lites it depends a bit on the power output. Since this is a fairly close-range setup however you should get away with a 400 Ws flash especially with an umbrella. A softbox will need more power for the same luminance so it might be an issue but i doubt it.

This is a fairly simple setup and can be done in a very small room/studio aswell since it kind of hinges on the light bouncing in from the sides.

The device under the umbrella does look to be a windmachine, with the upper half blocked i am assuming to to create more blow towards the clothes than the hair.

 

[Derin]

Cheers Imaginara!

When I look closely at that picture, I see the sign 'Profoto Medium Silver' on the umbrella. So I gather this is a 105 cm silver umbrella. That's one thing I am going to buy for sure.

I hope the d-lite works.

As for the panels, I'll do my best to arrange as shown. One more thing I noticed is that there is quite a space between the white and the black panel on the right. The white panel is positioned towards the backdrop, so I guess it has no effect on the model?..

One more thing that confuses me is the lightness of the room even when the flash is off. My d-lites have very dim guide-light compared to what I see in the picture (see the bounce light on the ceiling - looks quite bright). Or is it just the camera that captures the instant?

 

[Imaginara]

Yes its a profoto umbrella, it's one of the better umbrellas in how it spreads the light, which among other things can affect the shadow quite a bit. You can also look into Creative Light umbrellas, which are made in the same factory as the profoto and slightly cheaper.

The white panel back on the upper right is for the background yes, the space between the black and the upper right white could have been covered with another black one, but since he's not using anything there, it will basically work the same, as in no light is reflected from that side, so saving one panel =)

Will you be having access to one or two d-lites? Reason i ask is that IF you end up with feeling that it is not giving you the f-stop you want to be at, and you do not have any stronger flashes around, you can add a second d-lite for more power firing into the same umbrella.

And the image looks to be just the guidance lights. It looks like he's using a Pro7 or Pro8 pack and a pro-head on the umbrella, and they can have pretty strong modelling lights.

 

[Derin]

^ Thanks for the tips!

I'll remember 'Creative Light' while I'm shopping around.

I have access to two d-lites, and those are all I currently have. Actually I didn't know that I could use two d-lites with one umbrella. That'd make 400W x 2. I'll consult my photo-store to see how to assemble those.

 

[Imaginara]

well the simplest way is to put the umbrella on one d-lite, and then put another stand next to it with the second d-lite aimed into the umbrella. it wont create a "perfect" central light, but better than half the power

 

[Derin]

^ Thanks again Imaginara! I hope to share my results with you soon.

 

[Derin]

Dear Imaginara and BetteT, I thought it would be a good idea to share my final results with you. I've built pretty much the same setup which I posted on this thread a while ago. One light (Elinchrom d-lite) with a silver umbrella (Elinchrom) was all I needed. I also had to built the light-panels, and actually that was the hardest part. All I could think of was polyester isolation walls (foams) which can be found at hardware stores. But then again, they are not large enough so I had to stick them together and I painted them in black where I needed. The problem is they are not durable enough. They are light and practical but they break into pieces while moving on the set. I just need to find a more professional/durable solution for the light panels. Thank you again for all your advice!

photos by me

 

[BetteT]

Thanks for sharing. Looks like you are getting there.

Try Plywood for your panels (they can be bought in 4' by 8' foot panels) ... and paint them black and white. Use gaffers tape to hold them together, if needed.

One observation, which might give you food for thought. I see her hair was over the shoulder that was closest to the key light and could easily shade her face, unintentionally. To light her face better (if this is a concern for you), it could have been parted on her right and the hair moved to her left shoulder ... or the key light moved to the other side. whichever would be easier. Of course ... exceptions to the usual process often make for very interesting photos ... so you also need to know when to be creative for a special effect.

And black fabric is especially hard to light ... if it's flat black. This was leather or vinyl, so it showed up well. But when you have flat black fabric, use extra lights or metallic reflectors directed right at the fabric, from the side, to play up texture and the shape of the folds.

 

[Imaginara]

Sorry for the late reply.I actually use styrofoam aswell but put silvertape around the edges to minimize damage if hitting them. A lot of people also use foamcore instead which is smaller, less fragile but also a lot more expensive.

Plywood works also but a bit heavy compared to the styrofoam or foamcore.

And BetteT gives excellent advice in regards to the black fabric. Remember the "old" rule that white shows by its shadows, and black by it's specularities / highlights.

 

[Derin]

Thanks again for the great advice guys!

 

[ArtManiac19]

i know this is the wrong thread to ask but i couldn't find any other thread that would answer my question.

i wanted to ask what kind of video technique this is where the camera has the motion of the subject like this one in John Galliano Spring Summer 2009
@ 0:35


again im sorry for the post but i am really desperate for an answers...please and thank you

 

[Imaginara]

not necessarily the wrong thread as a lot of us work with video. at 0:35 they are doing a so called dolly backwards, which is basically the camera is on some form of rails or wheels (usually rails) and is pulled backwards in a smooth motion to match the subject.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_dolly

(there is a similar move that is called a dolly zoom where you have the camera fixed but change the focal length of the lens while maintaining focus. This is also known as the Vertigo effect since it was first used in Alfred Hitchcock's film Vertigo. This gives a huge perspective distortion effect on the background however and is used mostly to an unsettling effect on the viewer. )

 

[ArtManiac19]

thanks lots Imaginara

i also have one more question
what is the video trick at 1:04
it looks as if the camera is bouncing with the subject....
Please And Thank YOu

 

[BetteT]

(there is a similar move that is called a dolly zoom where you have the camera fixed but change the focal length of the lens while maintaining focus. This is also known as the Vertigo effect since it was first used in Alfred Hitchcock's film Vertigo. This gives a huge perspective distortion effect on the background however and is used mostly to an unsettling effect on the viewer. )

Ooooh .... I always wondered about that effect. Thought it was done by moving backwards ("dolly backwards" now that I know the term) while zooming in ... or vice versa. Surprised to find out that the camera is actually stationary an it's all done with the lens. Thanks for sharing that! I'm getting dizzy here ... just thinking about it.

 

[Imaginara]

Actually Bette, you are correct, it was me who wrote a bit too fast. A Dolly zoom is made by moving the camera back while zooming AND maintaining focus. It's the move back that maintains framing in the shot (and makes the background appear to flow in). If they did not move the cameras position all that would happen is that you would well zoom in

as for the bouncing camera it's actually quite odd. It almost looks like they locked a tracking on the model while moving which creates the bouncing synchronised with the camera. A railed (dolly) camera or a steadycam should not give that kind of bobbing which i suspect is actually an error. The shot doesnt flow as it should and the effect is kinda unsettling.

 

[BetteT]

Thanks for the clarification, Imaginara. Hadn't thought about the framing ... so that's an important point.

Even though I'm a stylist, this sort of thing interests me. A photographer/cinematographer friend taught me to look at photos and the lighting, etc. to figure out how different things were done. So ... I'm always looking and trying to analyze effects like this ... just because I enjoy learning.

 

[Imaginara]

Same with me and styling =) Even though i am primarely a photographer, i do both styling and design and research makeup styles and techniques aswell. Learning is easy and it has a tendancy to affect everything you do which is a good thing. If you are to work in this business and do not have an interest in the entire package, i think you are severely limiting yourself and forces you to rely on other peoples skill way to much

 

[SoBlonde]

Hey all,

I am in need of some advice.
I have a shoot planned with a friend of mine who designs jewelry.
We're aiming to do a clean, simple, well-lit lookbook style type of shoot.
I'm super nervous because I haven't done anything like this before.
So, I guess I'm just wondering what the basic lighting is that I'm going to need
And any tips/tricks/pointers that would be helpful.

Thanks!

 

[Imaginara]

Well it all depends on the concept. Are you going to do just product shots, then you usually need to use quite a lot of small lights, also small reflectors. The metal need to pick up larger soft highlights (to create outlines) usually from softboxes or a productphotography tent, jewlery and stones need sharper lights to create spots and small pinpoint highlights to sparkle. If you are shooting it on a model, then all of these becomes harder to do but also less important, so generally you will light for the model and not primarely the jewelry.

But as i said in the beginning it all depends on what you wish to do, it can be very complex or very simple.

 

[SoBlonde]

We're planning on doing product shots and some close ups of the jewelry on a model, so just a hand/wrist or face/ears.