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Archive 2012 · White Balance Target & Flash Meter Question

  
 
alaskalive
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p.1 #1 · White Balance Target & Flash Meter Question


Good Morning...

I am shooting in my living room studio.
I have 2 alien bees 800s.

I bought a White Balance target, 24 inch.Black, Grey White...

I got good with using that.. no problem.
But now I have this Light meter, Sekonic L 358 and when I set my Canon 60D White Balance to FLASH, and use the sekonic, it seems the photos are great?

My question, do I really need a WB Target if I have a Light Meter until I learn all the settings myself?

I shoot in Manual Mode.
Love a little insight on Flash Meter and WB Target.. Do I need to use both? Can I trust my AWB AWB settings in the camera, ie, flash, daylight, tungsten..
I want my photos to POP, so I need to learn the correct way the first time! Thanks.





Jan 19, 2012 at 02:10 PM
BrianO
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p.1 #2 · White Balance Target & Flash Meter Question


The light meter will suggest an exposure, but it won't tell you anything about the color. For that you would need a colorimeter.

That said, if you are not mixing light sources -- that is, if the flash is the dominant light source -- then using a "Flash" white balance will generally give you proper white balance.

Flash color can vary, especially at different power levels or when using modifiers, but the differences may not be enough to justify setting a custom white balance each time.



Jan 19, 2012 at 04:48 PM
BrianO
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p.1 #3 · White Balance Target & Flash Meter Question


By the way, as I look at your sample photo I think the BG light may be too high. I'm seeing a lot of purple fringing.

It needs to be just bright enough to clip, but no brighter than that.



Jan 19, 2012 at 04:52 PM
alaskalive
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p.1 #4 · White Balance Target & Flash Meter Question


This setup is
1 70 in ch softbox attached to an Alien Bees B800 for the backdrop
1 16 x 24 sfotbox attached to an alien bees b800 for the front light.

I only have 2 lights.. right now.. will get a third soon.. I hope.

I saw a youtube video on this setup, told me settings for front and back lights.. but cannot find it again!
I will try lowering the light in the rear flash some.
I see no purple.. but I am not as trained as you.
thanks a Lot.



Jan 19, 2012 at 06:03 PM
BrianO
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p.1 #5 · White Balance Target & Flash Meter Question


alaskalive wrote:
...I saw a youtube video on this setup, told me settings for front and back lights.. but cannot find it again!


I meter the key light (in incident mode) from just in front of the subject's chin, and then I turn the meter around (facing the BG) and hold it just behind the subject's head. I try to get the BG reading 1+2/3 to 2 stops brighter than the key light. I find more than 2 stops brighter to be too much for the way I do it.

This probably isn't the video you're refering to, but you may find it interesting:

http://www.lastoliteschoolofphotography.com/using-the-hilite-with-speedlites

With a few minor changes, the methods shown would work just as well with a soft box and monolights in place of the Hilite and Speedlights.



Jan 20, 2012 at 01:13 AM





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