| Archive for Mikes Photography A Photography Forum for Beginners and Professionals alike. Why not become a Member and Join us. |
| creators |
Learning about lights.I thought I'd share how I am getting along with learning to use lights. Not least because I am finding using desk lights really rewarding in learning how light works. Where the studio flash is much harder to set up because I can't see what the light does until I take the picture, I can see exactly what the desk lights are doing.The picture and the setup are what you can see below. Light 1 is a back fill light using the reflector. 2 is the main light and 3 is a fill light. Comments and especially advice would be very welcome. 
|
||
| jonH |
well as clueless as i am in this regard, it looks good 
|
||
| creators |
Thanks Jon. For me it's the old malarkey of I can't see what I don't yet know, where an experienced eye will see an issue immediately and once it's pointed out, I get the old, 'Oh yeh' thing. But, I was pretty happy with the result, it feels like progress. | ||
| Venom |
I'm interested in this Keith as I'm thinking of setting up my own little studio (nothing fancy) just for Portraits and Still life stuff. Think i mentioned it in the Help and Advice Section. | ||
| sean |
Hi Creators,
Do you take a meter reading before the picture is taken? Would be interested to know what you do - step by step - to get your picture. |
||
| creators |
Hi Sean, bear in mind that this explanation is from someone starting out to explore studio work, I can see it might be valuable for that very reason, but it could also be a million miles off as well. I don't possess a meter so nothing so sophisticated is involved. When I looked into the prices of meters I freaked out and decided not to bother. My first stage is the setup, something that has been supremely hard using flash units, but which becomes manageable using the desk lamps. I am rather taken with black backgrounds at the moment, though the background I use is reversible if I want a white background. I set up my 'model' on a suitable board, usually mounting board, and start playing with the model positioning and the lights. I look at highlights, shadows and contrast and any unwanted shadowing cast by poorly positioned lights. I could see just from looking that I was losing the edges in the image above and so needed some back lighting. The No 1 lamp using the reflector seemed to my eye to do the job. I moved 2 & 3 around until I had a decent contrast on the image, with nothing too harsh to detract from the model. It was then down to first test shots to get the exposure and check out the lighting through the unkindness of the camera lens. Having done a few now I started shooting at f 2.8 and 1/60th sec. 
I felt this image was too harsh, too stark, though you can see the back lighting clearly in this image. I wanted something moodier and to bring out the colours. I took a shot at 1/100th (almost right) and 1/160th, which turned out to be what I wanted. There were some marks on the mounting board which I took out with photoshop. Decided I wasn't happy and took out the entire background and replaced it with a solid colour. I selected the background, had to do some careful adding and subtracting from the selection, feathered the edge around the model only by 5 and filled with a selection taken from the picture, rather than solid black, and that did the job. Though at R-3 G-3 B-3, I suppose it might as well have been black. |
||
| sean |
Thanks Creators - appreciate the reply.
If you want a wallet friendly analogue light meter , they can be found for around £30 - there are a few on ebay. Happy to have a look around for you if you wish? I'm setting up my long awaited home studio in the next few weeks (once the doner bedroom is cleared & decorated) I decided not to go for the 5D at this time and opt for some lighting (Elinchrom 400BX 2 head kit) instead.  Should be here in a week or so! I'm very excited.
I'll post some info on my progress and the first attempts at using the kit as time goes by. I've probably forgotten 90% of what I learnt on the course I did... I'll be concentrating on still life as well as portraits. It will be a whole new world... |
||
| creators |
Just to correct a typo, the final shot was at 1/160, I have changed my post accordingly.
I'll come back to you on the meter, money is really tight at the moment, but £30 is around my kind of price bracket. Because I know nothing about meters I shall probably yell for help, so thanks for the offer. I very much look forward to seeing what you do. We can see how it goes, but if it gets exciting and with some vibrant exchanges of views and techniques, perhaps we might persuade Mike to create a studio section. I am more and more thinking I need to get on a course. Why bother reinventing the wheel when there is a such a vast array of skills out there just waiting to be tapped? I hope you can contain your excitement. Ahh, great times ahead. |
||
| sean |
My Elinchrom Style 400BX kit arrived on Tuesday and I set it up tonight - pretty impressive stuff.
I'll try and remember everything I learnt on my course and put it to good practice. Stay tuned for some more portrait work! |
||
| hil26 |
Looking forward to seeing them | ||
| Venom |
Portrait and Studio LightingThis maybe of interest to you HERE |
||
| sean |
Cool - good spot. | ||