Comments for LIGHTING ESSENTIALS : For Photographers

Comment on Manipulating Natural Light with Simple Tools by wizwow

wizwow — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:56:55 +0000

Not hard to do at all. Just keep the flash on axis of the camera or the nose. In this case I kept the flash on axis of the camera so the face is getting light straight from the angle of the camera. That keeps shadows to a minimum. You must have an angle to have a shadow, so I keep my light on axis. This means my assistant has to constantly be aware when I move so the light moves with me, and if I am lighting on a stand, I make the model move but keep her in line with the light.

Comment on Subtractive Lighting: Creating Drama with Contrast by wedding_photographer

wedding_photographer — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:55:01 +0000

Hi,

Excellent post; thanks!

I don’t carry a softbox in my portable light kit - just umbrellas. I wonder whether you could feather the light as effeciently with an umbrella. I could imagine either a shoot-thru or a bouncer turned towards the ceiling / floor could work…?

I’m getting one of these 5-in-1 reflectors - I of the tissues you put on the reflector is black - I could probably use this as the light absorber…

Thanks for the great tips!

Comment on Manipulating Natural Light with Simple Tools by wedding_photographer

wedding_photographer — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:45:48 +0000

I’ve returned several times to this post to look at Stacia’s incredible photo. What strikes me today is how little contrast there is between the left side of her nose and her cheek - I’m sure this adds to the photo’s impact.

Is this an effect that’s easily replicable under a certain light, does it require post-processing or did it just happen that way?

Comment on A Quick Look at Balancing Flash at Sunset, Quickly by wedding_photographer

wedding_photographer — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:10:46 +0000

Fantastic post - I can really live the episode with you.

I like your way of working - I do not use a lightmeter either and would take a similar approach to yours… even though it would probably take me much longer

Comment on Sometimes The Location is Not As Good As Promised. by wedding_photographer

wedding_photographer — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:09:22 +0000

Thanks wizwow for your very clear answer. Makes perfect sense.

Comment on Sometimes The Location is Not As Good As Promised. by wizwow

wizwow — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:18:07 +0000

wedding_photographer:
Exposure is of course controlled by both shutterspeed and aperture. But once the exposure has been determined, the flash is separate from the shutter speed.

For instance, the shot is determined to be one stop under for a flash main. That ambient is a result of shutterspeed being one stop under and will be so in every shot. The flash power will determine the exposure of the subject… matching the ambient results in an underexposed photograph. Increasing the flash only by one stop makes the shot correct, with the ambient still the same as before. Ambient light is controlled by the shutter speed in this case, and the flash can be moved in or out, increased or decreased in power for the subject, leaving the ambient unchanged. That is what I mean when I state that in these kind of shots, determining the ambient light at a shutter speed that will allow flash sync is one part, and then working with that aperture now becomes a function of the speedlight.

Last shot: No, not underwear… actually the back side of her jean skirt. As far as flash, it was indeed bare. If I had been working with a more liberal time frame, I may have used a Softlighter or Moonlight on the shot. In the lighting workshops we move pretty quickly on some of the shoots getting the technique down, then finessing as time permits. These shots are 4 of only 5 I shot - then the students took over and added lights and fills… It turned out far different as they went about working on it.

Comment on Scenes From a Workshop: Detroit, April 6, 2008 by wedding_photographer

wedding_photographer — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:27:48 +0000

Beautiful staircase shot! An original pose I’ll remember and try at home

Interestingly this photo you’ve used twice (once in the title and once directly below) really does pop up much better in the 2nd version - something with colors that makes a world of difference.

Comment on Manipulating Natural Light with Simple Tools by wedding_photographer

wedding_photographer — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:23:29 +0000

Lovely light! I am particuluarly impressed by the photo of Stacia and the wonderful combination of back-light and fill-in. Well done!

Comment on Sometimes The Location is Not As Good As Promised. by wedding_photographer

wedding_photographer — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:16:57 +0000

A quick question - did you simply use a bare flash (ie - your 430ex?) or did you umbrella it? Also - is that her underwear you see in the last picture?

Comment on Sometimes The Location is Not As Good As Promised. by wedding_photographer

wedding_photographer — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:12:09 +0000

Excellent website! I’m really happy of the discovery and am enjoying all its articles.

When you write:
“Just keep in mind that the f-stop exposure will be based on the speedlight, and the ambient will be controlled by the shutter speed”

Surely you mean that the ambient is controlled BOTH by the f-stop and the shutter speed?