Barbieri's Spring Photo Shoot

[MarkBarbieri]

Mark -

Can you describe what you mean by modeling lights? (In lighting for dummies language)

Thanks.

The short answer is that modeling lights are lights on your strobes that you can use to estimate how your strobes will look when they flash. Of course, I'm not known for short answers, so here's the rambling version:


The lights I used were Alien Bees strobes (mostly model AB800). Strobes are lights that flash when you take the photo, briefly supplying a lot of light so that you can use a high shutter speed. The problem with using strobes is that it can be hard to determine what the light will look like when the strobes flash.

Modeling lights are lights built into the strobes that supply a steady light. They're basically just light bulbs put on the flash units. These light bulbs vary in brightness as you turn up and down the power to the strobes. So if I make one strobe flash twice as bright as another, it's modeling light will be twice as bright as the others as well.

By setting up the studio with no light sources other than the modeling lights on the strobes, you can get an idea of what the scene will look like when the strobes fire. Of course, the lights aren't nearly as bright, but they are in the proper proportion. With the modeling lights, I can actually look at my subject and see where the shadows are, how hard/soft they are, etc.

Another approach is to not use strobes at all. There are several light systems that rely on bright steady lights instead of strobes. With these, what you see is exactly what you get. The downsides are that they are really bright, can be hot, can use a lot of power, aren't as bright as strobes, and can't be used to freeze motion like strobes. If you're shooting video, you can't use strobes, so they are good for that. With the advent of compact flourescent and LED lights, they are also getting much coolor and more energy efficient.

 

[mabas9395]

My next planned shoot is Halloween. We'll set up for trick-or-treater shots on Friday night and then switch out backgrounds and do Christmas card and general portrait shots on Saturday and Sunday

Don't worry Mark, its a common mistake. But actually, what you were supposed to do last Saturday night was turn your clock ahead one hour, not your calendar ahead 7 months.

So instead of some Halloween shots, you are supposed to be getting ready for your Easter shots.

No need to thank me, I'm here to help.

 

[Furgus]

In regards to people wearing glasses, some good info can be found here.

Strobist: Lighting for Glasses Some of the comments have some little tricks too, as well as some other posts on that site. I have just started getting into the Strobist ways, and anyone who wants to know more about lighting.....that is a wonderful place to start.

Another one: Highlight Control
Cheers

 

[MICKEY88]

f/2.8 wouldn't work for my purposes. First, at 100mm eqiv and 10 feet subject distance, you're looking at less than half a foot of DOF at f/2.8 It's probably just enough for a face if I nail the focus, but I could easily lose focus on props and body parts. Also, when I'm shooting more than one person, I don't want to have to worry about lining then into exactly the sam focal range.

Using DOFMaster, the focus ranges for the various apertures at 100mm and 10 feet for my camera are:

f/2.8 0.38 feet
f/4.0 0.54 feet
f/5.6 0.77 feet
f/8.0 1.09 feet
f/11 1.54 feet

I think that's assuming pixel sized COCs. I can probably afford to be a bit outside that range without it being noticeable, but f/2.8 is still too shallow for my comfort in this situation.

As for the fan, well, you have to undertand Houston summers. It doesn't really get that hot here (typical high of around 95) but the humidity is every bit as bad as Orlando. Even with a fan, you'll have the wind-blown, sweating like a pig look. That might work for some athletic style shots, but I'm not enough of an artist to suffer that much for my art.

I don't question the math, but most people I've talked to don't shoot at f11, unless shooting dance or moving targets..or subjects if you prefer...LOL the eyes are critical, if props etc are a little soft, that makes the eyes stand out..

 

[MICKEY88]

another trick for glasses is to slightly tilt them,

 

[mabas9395]

Another trick for glasses is contacts.

 

[Nikel]

you purged your edit after my reply to you, how does that make me a jerk..??

so in other words it's OK for you to copy someone elses photo edit it, and tell them your edit is better, but no one can disagree with you..




have a great day..

No what made you a jerk was posting the definition after my post and then going back and reposting the definition. I'm not bothered by someone disagreeing with me but rather the manner in which you did it. I'd have preferred a thought out response rather than a duplicate definition regurgitation (cause what, I'm too stupid to have read it the first time, or perhaps I should have gone back in time and never toed the line on the rules as to not upset you?), esp when your post directed at me was after my picture was deleted, so I don't even know if you saw it. I just don't see why you singled me out to repost the EXACT SAME THING. It felt very much like you were saying, "Ha, ha, you idiot, you're wrong, and I'm perfect cause I know all the rules and always follow them."

And I never said my edit was better, just that I preferred it. Art is subjective. Even the guy whose rules you are quoting isn't following the rules he's giving all the time.

I'll leave the conversation now. Clearly I should have stayed out in the first place. I don't do much studio portrait work. I prefer lifestyle portraiture and fashion style portraiture and primarily do weddings, which don't involve studio lights and posing.

 

[MICKEY88]

No what made you a jerk was posting the definition after my post and then going back and reposting the definition. I'm not bothered by someone disagreeing with me but rather the manner in which you did it. I'd have preferred a thought out response rather than a duplicate definition regurgitation (cause what, I'm too stupid to have read it the first time, or perhaps I should have gone back in time and never toed the line on the rules as to not upset you?), esp when your post directed at me was after my picture was deleted, so I don't even know if you saw it. I just don't see why you singled me out to repost the EXACT SAME THING. It felt very much like you were saying, "Ha, ha, you idiot, you're wrong, and I'm perfect cause I know all the rules and always follow them."

And I never said my edit was better, just that I preferred it. Art is subjective. Even the guy whose rules you are quoting isn't following the rules he's giving all the time.

I'll leave the conversation now. Clearly I should have stayed out in the first place. I don't do much studio portrait work. I prefer lifestyle portraiture and fashion style portraiture and primarily do weddings, which don't involve studio lights and posing.

I'm sorry you're having a bad day and took my post so personally, again, my reply was before you removed your edit, and there are a high number of people who don't read long posts such as my first one people if you read enough posts on here you will often see answers or replies repeated,
and I'm not the one who was or is upset..

I never said you were any of the things that you are implying, I clearly stated, that although your edits might make the pic more pleasing to you, they go against the definition of high key, in your original post your own words clearly stated that you like a lot of contrast...

so that's what I was replying to..

again I apologize if I upset you,


stick around get to know me, you will clearly see that I do not go around acting superior, or putting people down,

yes I will stay strong in my belief in PAint shop pro , minolta/sony . and the lens cradle, but I never claim to know more than anyone on here..and I certainly don't call people names..

 

[MICKEY88]

Another trick for glasses is contacts.

true, but at that point if the subject is wearing glasses simply removing them would work, no need to take the time to put in contacts..